It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – 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 marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or 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. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
