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Marking two decades after the legendary game first launched in North America, providing everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.

The band previously 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 our records were moving like crazy,” 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 proved so vast that it has risked overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Games like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist with new generations.”