It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
