It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave 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. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
