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Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, providing players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before a packed crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix previously tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Collaboratively, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians featured, showcasing classic bands to a new generation of younger players.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “One of the amazing things was how many parents got in touch expressing gratitude for introducing their children to the songs they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist the artist remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered music that was past it, however once it got included in the game young people discovered it, abruptly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

At that time, the Answer’s debut album remained not available in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the group greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over half a million copies in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.

The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is challenging enough on the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should use a real gun and enlist,” notes DragonForce guitarist the artist.

The band previously wrapped up a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it made them widely recognized. “I remember our distributors calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it has risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, be it for cars, apparel or games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority of Guitar Hero games were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as DJ Hero, complete with a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles like Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are both involved as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome another game in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles might become like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”