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It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of an authentic live show.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges of licensing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was featured on the title young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the band's debut album was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Titles Enduring Influence

Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician the artist.

The band had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”