Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
