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It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise that had a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, introducing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song since the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”

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

Classic Rock Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's first record remained not available stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “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”.

The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”