Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – 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 rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
