Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time 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 Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
