It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
