Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
