Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed 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. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
