It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
