Guitar Hero Turns 20 – How a Plastic Axe United Generations Between Rock Fans

Marking 20 years after the legendary game debuted in North America, offering players everywhere the means to feel like a rock star. Figuratively speaking, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy guitar solo before an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Developed by Harmonix, the game gave players a guitar-shaped controller to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the display synchronized to a song. Each riff mimicked specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine live show.

The studio previously tried its hand in the music genre prior to teaming up with the publisher, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a significant influence on numerous musicians included, introducing classic bands to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.

Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, recalls the initial financial challenges in securing the songs – even though the first two games mostly used rerecorded tracks.

“We reproduced every song because the cost prohibitive,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure bands like legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and we were fairly certain the project would flop. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales airtime increased, everyone wanted to participate.”

He continues: “One of the amazing things was the number of parents reached out and thanked us for exposing their kids to the songs they adored. It evolved into an intergenerational phenomenon.”

Timeless Music Finds a New Audience

Northern Irish group the Answer had Never Too Late in the 2008 release Guitar Hero World Tour. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers how the series revived older hits to the forefront: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Typically this had been seen as music that was past it, but then when it was included in the game young people were finding it, suddenly it was cool. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the ‘dad rock’ tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”

In 2008, the Answer’s debut album remained not available stateside, meaning Guitar Hero served as a primary platform for exposure for the group as they went on US tour opening for the rock giants. “The roadies had on the song during travel, and some of them recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.

Rock’s Heavyweight Spin-offs Enduring Influence

Rock’s heavyweight names quickly took advantage of the game's success, with Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around each band’s catalogue and associated stories, imagery and rock’n’roll mythology. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, reportedly earned the group more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million copies in its first week, while demand for their songs rose significantly at a time when the music business faced decline.

Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Recently, a streamer achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s the challenging track – a notoriously difficult power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with almost identical mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is difficult enough on the hardest setting, let alone performed at double speed and without missing a single one of the thousands of cues. They claimed requiring months of practice to accomplish.

“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, that doesn’t mean you should pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.

DragonForce previously wrapped up a successful tour before their hit was featured in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I remember the record label calling to tell me that we were records were moving like crazy,” he says. “It exploded when we next toured, and we were playing right ahead of the headliners at the event.”

Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it risked eclipsing all other the band has done. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “In the past I felt otherwise, but now I accept it,” he admits. “If you only hear one DragonForce song, it’s totally cool – everyone’s got their own path in music and I'm pleased we’ve been part of people’s lives”.

The Lasting Legacy of a Iconic Controller

Top-tier promotion, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond mere transactions – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators believed humans have a natural human desire to make music, and they wanted to leverage innovation to allow people to participate”.

Most of Guitar Hero games came out in just a half-decade between 2005 and 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and the band-focused game. Subsequently, the publisher’s interest on peripherals died down, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.

Games such as the fan project and Fortnite Festival have maintained the scene alive, with set to be a new product from the founders on the way. A new studio has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. The initial creators are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace a new entry following the classic?

“We thought those games might become like Madden allowing annual releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason why it can’t continue for future fans.”