It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
