🔗 Share this article

It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was 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, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”