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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant influence for many musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence

Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”