Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
