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Marking two decades after Guitar Hero first launched across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, 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 prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it was cool. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's first record was still unreleased in the US, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Impact

Rock’s biggest acts quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band more money than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed it took nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the track featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released 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. After that, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut music game. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to persist with new generations.”