Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
