Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so 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 Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
