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It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Created by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen synchronized to a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, creating the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio previously experimented in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series that had a significant influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, recalls the initial budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song since the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get acts such as legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, but then once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label.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 as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money compared to their records. It sold more than half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention performed at double speed while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months of practice.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use actual weapons and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.

The band previously completed a profitable run when their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts at the event.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

The best marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles like the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t continue for future fans.”