It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
