Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
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 the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals 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 half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
