It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated 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 studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat 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 almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
