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Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”

At that time, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.

“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”