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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic 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 initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, so Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved more than 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band previously completed a profitable run before their hit was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”