It has been two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
