Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
