It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used 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 listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s 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 both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
