It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
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 anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing 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,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
