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Marking 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having 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 the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says musician Herman Li.

DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?

“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”