It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.
The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.
A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. 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 the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact
Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.
The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar
Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. 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. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”
