Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
