Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “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 believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
