It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
