It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero 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 several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
