It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames 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 rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
