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Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician the artist.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”