It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
