Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having 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 and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – 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 personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “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 was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
