Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
