It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
