Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
