It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”
