It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
