It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.
Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
