It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” 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 create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
