It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring 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 greater revenue than any of their records. It moved more than half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to 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”.
The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.
Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?
“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”
