Guitar Hero Turns 20 – How a Plastic Axe Connected Generations Among Music Fans

Marking two decades since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving everyday gamers the means to become a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has mastered Free Bird’s lengthy instrumental break in front of a packed crowd of friends.

Created by the developers, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to particular chords, producing the feel of an authentic performance.

Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar series which made a significant impact for many of the artists included, introducing classic bands to millions of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, former COO from the developer, remembers the initial financial challenges of licensing the songs – even though initial releases primarily featured cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like the Who – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and our team was pretty convinced it would fail. But once the game became a hit, and record sales and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”

He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of mothers and fathers reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans

Northern Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series brought classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got included in the game and teenagers were finding it, abruptly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music a new life.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform for exposure for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew were playing Never Too Late during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs and Lasting Impact

Music's heavyweight names soon capitalised on the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized game editions centered around each band’s catalogue and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money compared to their records. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and 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 fanaticism within the community. Recently, an online personality completed an impressive attempt 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 difficult enough on expert mode, let alone played at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer claimed requiring nine months to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a profitable run before their hit appeared on Guitar Hero III, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that our selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought otherwise, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only listen to a single track, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.

Enduring Impact from the Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, be it for cars, clothes or games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were trying to create,” Dornbrook says. “That thrill of performing as a rock star in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and their goal was to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

The majority installments came out over a mere half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring derivative titles like DJ Hero, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, corporate focus on peripherals died down, except for a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, with set to be something from the original publisher in development. A new studio has entered production on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating as special advisers. Is the world prepared to welcome a new entry in the spirit of Guitar Hero?

“Our team believed those games might become like Madden where you can update every year,” Dornbrook says. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”