It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as 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 of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators 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 fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
