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Marking two decades since the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine performance.

Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was considered outdated material, however once it got featured on the game young people discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the band during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late on the tour bus, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact

Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”