It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
