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Marking 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.

The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies upon release, and sales of their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.

The band previously completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?

“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, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”