🔗 Share this article

Marking two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Major Band Titles Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles 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 several years later.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”