It has been two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though 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 by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
