It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded 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 has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
