Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
