Nilbog high is named after the movie Troll 2 (1990) which is widely considered as the best worst movie of all time.
Many real guitar heroes' moves are mimicked by the characters in the game: - Jimi Hendrix: When Xavier Stone uses Star Power, he starts playing guitar with his teeth. Also, at the end of a song, Clive Winston will occasionally set his guitar on fire and "raise the flames." - Jimmy Page: When Clive Winston uses Star Power, he'll sometimes play guitar with a violin bow.
So far, Ozzy Osbourne holds the record for having more songs in the Guitar Hero series than anyone else - three as a member of Black Sabbath (War Pigs, and Iron Man ), and one as a solo artist (Bark At The Moon.)
Many references to This Is Spinal Tap (1984) are made: - In the sound option menu, everything can be turned up to 11. - A loading screen urges you never to "just jam" when the crowd wants an encore and you're out of songs. - After playing "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight", the drummer spontaneously combusts (but only if you play in Nilbog High, the first venue).
At the Nilbog High venue, the clock reads 6:66, "The Number of the Beast", referring to the popular Iron Maiden song.