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It has been two decades since Guitar Hero first launched in North America, offering players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not literally, but try telling that someone who has mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.

The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise that had a significant impact on numerous of the artists featured, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – despite the fact initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, all artists desired to participate.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally this had been seen as outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated it, eliminating the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased in the US, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold more than half a million units upon release, and demand for their songs rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication 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 no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated requiring months of practice of practice.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour when their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “Precisely what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world 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 for future fans.”