Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
