It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
