Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down 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 before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
