It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with 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 in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
