It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of 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, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, 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 threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song 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 listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
