It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.
“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was 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 airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. 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 installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, with set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
