Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’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 stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
