It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, 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 the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
