Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre 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 that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication 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 Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
