It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, 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 children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
