Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of 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 among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
