It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
