It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
