It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – 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 promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
