Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden 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 hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
