Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
