It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought 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 path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
