Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged 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 has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
