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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market across the Atlantic, giving players everywhere the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of a packed living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes scrolling down the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic live show.

Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Irish group one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered outdated material, however when it was included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money than any of their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got 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 promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought those games could be similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”