It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “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 of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
