Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure 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 we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
