Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
