Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
