It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get 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 increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before 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 selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments 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 Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
