Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
