It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour before 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 records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” 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 leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
