It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
