It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
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 revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
