Marking two decades after the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
