It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with 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 Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
