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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the means to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the display in time with a song. Every sequence mimicked specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.

Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable franchise that had a significant impact for many of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, recalls the early financial challenges in securing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “The game provided a bigger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

At that time, the band's debut album remained not available stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing the song on the tour bus, and several recognized us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence

Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, not to mention performed at increased tempo and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” notes DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already completed a successful tour when their hit appeared in the third game, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a longing. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments were released in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, with expectations of something from the founders on the way. Recently formed developers has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music it could remain perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue with new generations.”