Marking two decades after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play 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 exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
