Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
