Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
