🔗 Share this article

It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact

Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”