Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual 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 persist with new generations.”
