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It has been two decades after the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the tools to become rock legends. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the screen in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, producing the sensation of a genuine live show.

Harmonix previously tried its hand in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a significant influence for many musicians included, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We reproduced every song because the dollar figure prohibitive,” he says. “Even with the necessary permissions alone, it proved extremely difficult. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when the game took off, and record sales and radio play were going up, all artists desired to be in.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was featured on the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the band's debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the band as they went on a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Influence

Music's heavyweight names quickly capitalised on the series’ popularity, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related lore, visuals and rock’n’roll mythology. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band greater revenue than any of their records. It sold well over 500,000 units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% at a time as the industry faced decline.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality completed an impressive attempt featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough anthem popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.

“The game offers a, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.

DragonForce had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, but Li says it turned them into widely recognized. “I recall the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility via the game was so immense that it has threatened to eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got a unique path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further mere transactions – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. From day one, the co-founders believed humans have a natural human desire to create songs, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most installments came out over a mere five-year period between 2005 and 2010, including derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut music game. The initial creators are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been optimistic. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”