Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star 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 allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
