It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, 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 Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology 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 the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
