It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
