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Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, but then once it got featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. 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 as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.

DragonForce previously completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority installments were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”