It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world 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. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
