Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like 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 and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
