Marking two decades since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders 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 a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
