It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
