It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”
