Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “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 their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
