Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, with set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
