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It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”