Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, 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 purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
