It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
