Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – 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
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
