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Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the community active, with expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”