Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.
The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish group the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 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 fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”
