It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
