It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved 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 almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
