Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track was used 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 hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
