Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for 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. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
