It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
