Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds a New Audience
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased stateside, so the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept 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 of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
