Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, 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’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
