It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted 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, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
