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Marking two decades since the legendary game hit the market across the Atlantic, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, though you'd be hard-pressed convincing someone who has mastered Free Bird’s four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to follow coloured notes moving along the screen synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of a genuine performance.

Harmonix previously experimented in the music genre before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision during the mid-2000s. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing classic groups to a new generation of younger players.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the recordings – despite the fact the first two games primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music since the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Even with the publishing rights by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when the game became a hit, album purchases and radio play increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “Among the amazing things was how many mothers and fathers reached out and thanked us for exposing their children to the music they loved. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish group the Answer included Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been considered music that was past it, however when it was included in the game young people discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated tag. It provided all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the band's debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Major Band Titles Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts quickly capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in specialized spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero still motivates quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is challenging enough on expert mode, let alone performed at double speed while hitting every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed it took months of practice to accomplish.

“The game offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says musician the artist.

The band had already wrapped up a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them a household name. “I remember the record label informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we were playing just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, DragonForce’s exposure from Guitar Hero was so immense that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Recently, the song featured in a trailer for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we played a role of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact from the Plastic Guitar

Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to do it”.

The majority installments were released over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles such as DJ Hero, complete with a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a brief comeback in 2015.

Titles such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community alive, with expectations of something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of the classic?

“We thought those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much new music that it could be evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist with new generations.”