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It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, while demand for their songs rose of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

The best promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

The majority installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s set to be something from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”