🔗 Share this article

It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”