It has been two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
