It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed 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 live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
