Marking two decades after the legendary game first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
