It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
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 power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
