Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
