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It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band had already completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”