Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
