Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group one featured act included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
