It has been two decades after the legendary game debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
