It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Finds a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, 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 That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
