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It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”