Marking 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
