It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational 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 the artist remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
