It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “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 create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
