It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight 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 dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased 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 mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
