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It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog a new life.”

In 2008, the band's debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following the classic?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”