It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game 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 got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
