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Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.

A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Major Band Titles Enduring Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen 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, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies upon release, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar

The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”