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It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and related 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 well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce previously completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”