Marking two decades after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, 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 came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
