Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication 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 the game – using a fan-made version, 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 increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. 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”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
