It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult 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 months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
