Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.
The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
