It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
