It has been two decades since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
