It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were 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 urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. 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 those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
