It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups 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 initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. 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 parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured 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, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
