It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game 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 it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
