It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
