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Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

The studio had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, introducing decades-old bands to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – 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 increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, however once it got included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly 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 achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band previously completed a successful tour before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.

Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene active, with set to be something from the founders in development. A new studio has entered production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”