It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – 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 music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
