Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run before 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 we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
