It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed 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 half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
