It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
