It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
