Marking 20 years since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”
At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.
The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
