It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” 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 featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
