It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” 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 a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
