It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, 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 more than half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
