It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
