It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with 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, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
