It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
