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Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable influence for many musicians included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the band during their a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while sales of their songs rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most installments came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”