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It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the opportunity to become rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

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

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”