It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
