It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
