It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
