Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased 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 Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
