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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.

Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's first record was still not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units upon release, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.

The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered work on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”