It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to 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, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat 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 and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
