It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, 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 groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their records. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”
