Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having 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 the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
