It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased 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 Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, 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. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
