It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
