It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
