It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
