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It has been 20 years since the legendary game debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the means to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.

A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, so the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Music's biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”