Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce 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 recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, 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 pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural 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 spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
