The Iconic Game Turns 20 – The Plastic Guitar That Bridged the Gap Between Rock Generations

It has been 20 years after the legendary game hit the market in North America, offering players everywhere the opportunity to feel like a rock star. Not literally, though you'd be hard-pressed telling that anyone who has nailed Free Bird’s lengthy guitar solo before a packed living-room audience.

Developed by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display in time with the music. Every sequence mimicked particular chords, creating the sensation of an authentic performance.

Harmonix had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, later acquired by the gaming giant in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for a surprising billion-dollar series which made a significant influence for many musicians included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the early budgetary hurdles of licensing the songs – despite the fact initial releases mostly used cover versions.

“We rerecorded all the music because the dollar figure was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the necessary permissions by themselves, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once the game took off, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to participate.”

He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”

Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans

Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived classic rock back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as music that was past it, however once it got featured on the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. This validated the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It provided all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s first record remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium for exposure for the group during their a North American tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and several knew us thanks to the game,” Mahon says.

Rock’s Heavyweight Titles Enduring Impact

Music's biggest acts soon capitalised on the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in specialized spin-off titles that focused on their music collections and related stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, reportedly to have made the band greater revenue compared to their studio albums. It moved well over 500,000 copies in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% during an era as the industry faced decline.

The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication within the community. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – on Clone Hero, a no-cost alternative with similar mechanics and extensive personalization features. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated requiring nine months of practice.

“Guitar Hero offers a, fantasy thing. Just as with Call of Duty, that doesn’t mean you ought to pick up a real gun and enlist,” says musician Herman Li.

The band previously wrapped up a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I recall the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged on the subsequent tour, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”

Indeed, DragonForce’s exposure via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing everything else accomplishments. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I felt differently, but now I accept it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, it’s totally cool – each person has a unique musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or games, goes further than selling something – it evokes a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “That’s exactly what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators felt that there’s an instinctive human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to enable everyone to participate”.

The majority installments came out in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments died down, aside from a brief comeback several years later.

Games such as the fan project and newer releases have maintained the scene active, and there’s set to be a new product from the original publisher in development. Recently formed developers has entered work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Are gamers ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?

“We thought such titles could be similar to sports games where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible why it can’t persist for future fans.”