It has been 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
