Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls 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 Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
