It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – 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 alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, 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 path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
