It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”
