Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
