It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
