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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Titles Enduring Impact

Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.

DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including 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 kept the community active, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?

“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”