It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. 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 allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
