It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
