It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
