It has been two decades since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
