It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, 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. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
