It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
