It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.
“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.
DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”
