Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with 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.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
