It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring 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 customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
