Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician 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 remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
