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It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by the developers, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic bands to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title young people were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult enough on expert mode, not to mention played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons 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, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only 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 Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with set to be a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist with new generations.”