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It has been 20 years since the legendary game first launched across the Atlantic, providing everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display in time with a song. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic live show.

The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the foundations for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the band's first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Rock’s heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group greater revenue than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time when the music business was already collapsing.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

The band had already wrapped up a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the track featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Titles like the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”