It has been two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following the classic?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”
