Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
