Marking two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as 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 were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear 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
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
