Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
