Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
