Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
