It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
