Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
