It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”
