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Marking 20 years after Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the opportunity to become a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic four-minute instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.

Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen in time with a song. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.

Harmonix previously experimented with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable series that had a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists included, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the recordings – even though the first two games mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. However, when Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band one featured act had Never Too Late on the 2008 game Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game revived classic rock back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was seen as music that was past it, but then when it was featured on the title young people discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave our catalog a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained unreleased in the US, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It moved more than half a million units in its first week, and sales of their songs saw an increase significantly during an era as the industry faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Recently, a streamer completed an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult anthem popularized through the game – on Clone Hero, a freeware game with almost identical gameplay and extensive customisation options. This track is difficult even in the hardest setting, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring months of practice of practice.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play other games, that doesn’t mean you ought to use a real gun and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist the artist.

DragonForce had already wrapped up a profitable run when their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that we were selling albums like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero proved so vast that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy of a Plastic Guitar

Top-tier promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, goes further than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team trying to create,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the co-founders felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

Most installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has entered production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world prepared to welcome another game following Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed such titles could be like Madden where you can update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”