It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
