It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
