It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
