It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with 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 pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
