It has been two decades since the legendary game debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – 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. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says musician the artist.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
