# Any artists enjoying "new" fame from Rock Band/Guitar Hero? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280 "2009-01-14T17:26:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/1 "2009-01-14T17:26:54Z")
With all the variations of Rock Band and Guitar Hero out there, there’s a ton of songs and artists being represented - old and new. I know all of the classic rock songs but since I’m a big stick in the mud, there’s a lot of post-2000 songs I’ve never heard. Conversely, my teenage cousin had never heard of a lot of the older songs (even…Lenny…Kravitz…zomg!) Has anyone read about any artists that are attributing new sales to Rock Band/Guitar Hero? Might Wings be making a comeback? Mods: I know this question is about video games, sort of, but I’d assume answers would come from people more into music than video games. Please don’t move me to The Game Room!! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/2 "2009-01-14T17:32:18Z")
Here’s some information: [http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-02-14-guitar-hero-effect\_N.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-02-14-guitar-hero-effect_N.htm) Anecdotally I know my younger sister has downloaded many songs from bands well before her time solely because of their inclusion in Guitar Hero. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/3 "2009-01-14T18:03:26Z")
Great article **Jas09** , exactly what I was looking for! Also interested in personal stories where people were turned on to new songs, like **Jas** ’s sister. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/4 "2009-01-14T18:30:30Z")
Looking at the playlists for “Guitar Hero” (have only played a demo of “Rock Band”), here’s what I’ve downloaded from Napster or Amazon: _Guitar Hero_ (2005) “Infected” – Bad Religion (1994) “Take Me Out” – Franz Ferdinand (2004) “Stellar” – Incubus (2000) “Even Rats” – The Slip (bonus track, 2005) _Guitar Hero II_ (2006) “Strutter” – KISS (1974) _Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s_ (2007) "I Ran (So Far Away) – Flock of Seagulls (1982) _Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock_ (2007) “When You Were Young” – The Killers (2006) I haven’t yet played World Tour or the expansions for Metallica or Aerosmith (which, I read on Wikipedia, has made more money off of _GH: Aerosmith_ than any single album of theirs). It’s very safe to say that I wouldn’t have downloaded any of these songs were it not for _Guitar Hero_. I’ve also downloaded additional songs from The Killers and Franz Ferdinand, based on my initial listens of those artists’ songs on _Guitar Hero_. It may have even changed my radio listening habits, as I’ve come to realize that all music released after 1992 isn’t crap. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/5 "2009-01-14T20:06:46Z")
I came in here specifically to mention Dragonforce, with their song _Through the Fire and Flames_. That band practically owes its entire existence to Guitar Hero. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/6 "2009-01-15T00:39:52Z")
Why, '80s one-hit wonders Stephen and the Colberts and their classic _Charlene (I’m Right Behind You_, of course. Oh, wait- you meant _real_ bands? ---
**Author:** ![DubsyUin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@DubsyUin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DubsyUin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/7 "2009-01-15T01:14:16Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > I came in here specifically to mention Dragonforce, with their song _Through the Fire and Flames_. That band practically owes its entire existence to Guitar Hero. Truth. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-artists-enjoying-new-fame-from-rock-band-guitar-hero/481280/8 "2009-01-15T02:52:47Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > I came in here specifically to mention Dragonforce, with their song _Through the Fire and Flames_. That band practically owes its entire existence to Guitar Hero. Yup. I thought I’d become a Dragonforce fan after playing that song for the first time, until I went to their website and realized ALL their songs sounded exactly like _Through The Fire And Flames._ I Ran (So Far Away) gets featured in something every few years and sells another couple of hundred thousand copies. Last time it was when it was the backing track for the _GTA: Vice City_ commercials (and featured in the game). I bet a buncha people discovered Strong Bad/Homestarrunner.com via the bonus tracks in GH I and II.