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It has been 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try convincing anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.

Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights alone, 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. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, however when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Influence

Rock’s heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in specialized game editions that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, and demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, not to mention performed at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

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 tap into that? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon 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 were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on its debut music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought such titles might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”