It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
