Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
