It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included 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 bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on 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.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
