It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
