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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing someone who's mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the sensation of an authentic performance.

The studio previously experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out and thanked us for introducing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band the Answer had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist recalls the way the game brought older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally this had been considered music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album was still unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the band during their US tour opening for AC/DC. “The roadies were playing the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated game editions that focused on each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase significantly at a time as the industry faced decline.

The series still motivates quick-handed fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.

The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames appeared 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 selling albums rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it has threatened to overshadow everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in a trailer for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just listen to a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “The excitement of being a music icon in the spotlight. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.

Titles such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on their first music game. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome another game following the classic?

“Our team believed such titles could be similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “With abundant new music that it could be perennially popular, thus I remain hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”