It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like 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 living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
