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It has been 20 years since the legendary game hit the market in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to become rock legends. Not in reality, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who's nailed Free Bird’s four-minute instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

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

Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with RedOctane, later purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable series which made a significant impact for many musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he says. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was extremely difficult. We couldn’t get acts such as the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired 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 music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was included in the game and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's first record was still not available stateside, so Guitar Hero served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several knew us thanks to the game,” he notes.

Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions centered around their music collections and associated lore, imagery and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs rose significantly during an era when the music business was already collapsing.

The series still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult anthem made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. They claimed it took nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, fantasy thing. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Recently, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “If you only hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most installments were released over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a brief comeback several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s set to be a new product from the founders in development. A new studio has begun work on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?

“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be perennially popular, so I’ve always been optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”