It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just 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
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
