It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
