It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
