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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering everyday gamers the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that someone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.

The studio had already experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence for many of the artists included, showcasing classic groups to millions of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record was still not available in the US, so Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs saw an increase of up to 40% during an era when the music business faced decline.

The series continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with almost identical gameplay but an array of customisation options. This track is difficult even in expert mode, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community alive, with set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?

“We thought those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”