🔗 Share this article

It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar

The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.

Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?

“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”