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It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.

Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song since the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”