It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic performance.
The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, 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 kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”
In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.
The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt 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 path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, 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 of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
