It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music'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, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
