Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
