Marking 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.
A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, 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 when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”
Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, 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 played a role of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.
Most installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”
