It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult 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 it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
