It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”
