It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved 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 almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut 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?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
