Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music 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 Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
