It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era 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 the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
