Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles 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 centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
