Marking 20 years after the legendary game first launched in North America, offering players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”
