It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
