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Marking two decades since Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the means to feel like rock legends. Not literally, but try convincing someone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed living-room audience.

Created by Harmonix, the game provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

The studio previously tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with RedOctane, which was purchased by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they established the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series that had a significant impact for many musicians featured, introducing classic groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the early financial challenges in securing the songs – even though initial releases mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions alone, it was nearly impossible. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases airtime increased, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “One of the remarkable aspects was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for introducing their kids to the songs they adored. It became an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Irish blues-rock band one featured act included their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game provided a larger, younger audience. Generally such music was considered outdated material, but then when it was featured on the title and teenagers discovered it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It provided our catalog renewed popularity.”

At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, meaning the game was a key medium of discovery for the band as they went on US tour supporting the rock giants. “The roadies were playing Never Too Late on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence

Rock’s biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly to have made the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.

The series still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism among its fans. Recently, a streamer achieved a remarkable feat of DragonForce’s the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem popularized through Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. This track is challenging even in expert mode, not to mention performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

The band had already completed a successful tour before their hit was featured on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it turned them into a household name. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of top acts at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to overshadow all other accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Impact from the Iconic Controller

The best marketing, be it for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “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 there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to enable everyone to do it”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a five-year period between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. After that, corporate focus on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Titles like Clone Hero and Fortnite Festival have maintained the community active, with expectations of a new product from the original publisher on the way. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. Original co-founders are both involved as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be like Madden allowing annual update every year,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks that it could be evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to continue for future fans.”