It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a significant influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles Enduring Influence
Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
