"It is 20 years since Guitar Hero was launched in North America, and with it, the tools for the everyday gamer to become a rock star. Not literally of course, but try telling that to someone who has nailed Free Bird's four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience. Developed by Harmonix, published by RedOctane and inspired by Konami's GuitarFreaks, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller with which to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song."
"Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn't get bands like the Who RedOctane had virtually no money, 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: One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved."
Guitar Hero launched in North America two decades ago and provided players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling on screen, simulating live performance. Harmonix developed the game, RedOctane published it, and the concept drew on Konami's GuitarFreaks. Early versions relied on re-recorded covers due to high licensing costs and limited budgets. Commercial success shifted bargaining power, increased record sales and radio play, and prompted wider artist participation. The franchise introduced younger players to decades-old bands, prompted parental engagement, and became a multigenerational phenomenon that boosted exposure for featured artists.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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