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It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a remarkable impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”

At that time, the band's debut album remained unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold more than half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “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 the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller

The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue with new generations.”