Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts 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 associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
