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It has been two decades after the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant impact on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs like DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”