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It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix had already tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved more than half a million copies upon release, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”