Guitar Hero Turns 20 – How a Plastic Axe Bridged Generations Among Rock Generations

Marking two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring 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 almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.

The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before 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 calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”