Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
