It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
