Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units 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 dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
