Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
