Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
