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It has been two decades after Guitar Hero debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the means to feel like a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that someone who's nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break in front of an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by the developers, the game provided users with a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the feel of a genuine live show.

The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was acquired by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many musicians featured, showcasing classic groups to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO from the developer, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.

“We rerecorded every song because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Even with the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – RedOctane was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was fairly certain the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero became a hit, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they loved. It became a multigenerational thing.”

Timeless Music Gains Younger Fans

Irish group the Answer had their track in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist the artist recalls the way the game brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a bigger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then when it was included in the title 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 debut album was still not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group as they went on a North American tour opening for the rock giants. “Their crew were playing the song on the tour bus, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said earned the group more money than any of their records. It sold more than 500,000 units upon release, while sales of Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.

Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Recently, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics and extensive customisation options. This track is challenging even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing every one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer stated requiring nine months to accomplish.

“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you should pick up a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label informing us that our selling albums like crazy,” he says. “It exploded on the subsequent tour, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”

In fact, the band's visibility from Guitar Hero was so immense that it risked eclipsing all other accomplishments. Last year, the track was used in a trailer for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” Li says. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.

The Lasting Legacy from the Iconic Controller

The best promotion, whether it’s for cars, apparel or video games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to harness this? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and they wanted to use technology to allow people 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 turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?

“We thought such titles might become like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t persist for future fans.”