It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
