It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember 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 on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
