The Iconic Game Turns 20 – How a Plastic Axe United Generations Among Rock Fans

Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.

Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.

The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”