It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
