It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved 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 Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – 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 and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
