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Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they established the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a significant impact for many musicians included, showcasing decades-old bands to millions of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a bigger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, eliminating the outdated label. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's first record remained not available in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group as they went on a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their records. It moved well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.

The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners at the event.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it threatened to overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles like the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue with new generations.”