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It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's nailed the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the feel of a genuine performance.

Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

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

“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units upon release, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.

The band had already completed a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a longing. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to persist for future fans.”