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It has been two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million copies upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

The majority installments came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 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 waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”