It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.
Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”
He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact
Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”
Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.
Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller
The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.
The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.
Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work 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 like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
