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Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, later acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got featured on 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 That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label.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.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so the game was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their records. It moved more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, 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 hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, apparel or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”