Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
