It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
