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It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.

The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a remarkable influence on numerous musicians featured, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having 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 fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Irish group the Answer included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce previously completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”