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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact

Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than half a million units 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 nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring nine months of practice.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes musician Herman Li.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Impact of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”