It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
