It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
