Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star 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”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”