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It has been two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.

The studio had already tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was the number of mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer included their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a bigger, new demographic. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts quickly took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million units upon release, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce had already completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with 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”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.

The majority installments were released over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.

Games like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?

“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”