It has been two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon 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 lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
