It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” 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 turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
