It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
