It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, 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 Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of 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 a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
