Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
