Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on 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 more than half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
