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Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller

The best marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.

Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”