It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, 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 previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
