Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “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 pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
