It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
