• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Study Guitar

A place to work on your guitar skills

What Are The Best Songs On Guitar Hero World Tour?

June 14, 2019 by Sam Russell Leave a Comment

playing guitar like joe satriani

The first Guitar Hero became a smash hit in the video games industry. It gave every human being the ability to do something that previously required selling your soul – the ability to play guitar like a badass without having to practice.

First released in 2005 with the revolutionary guitar controller, there have been 7 major releases across several platforms, spanning a decade.

Guitar Hero and its controller was based on a game called Guitar Freaks, which was released in 1999, but didn’t see much success outside of Japan.

Guitar Hero World Tour (aka Guitar Hero IV) was released in 2008 and was jam packed with 86 songs. It was the first guitar hero game to have a drum and a microphone; going on to receive very high scores from critics world wide.

Here are some of my favourite songs from the game:

My Personal 18 Favourite Songs

  • Michael Jackson – Beat It

A hit single from MJ’s sixth album, Thriller, Beat It is a favourite amongst guitar fans, for Eddie Van Halen’s legendary guitar solo.

It’s a great song, with an incredible music video to accompany it. In what feels like a throwback to the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ (released 4 years prior to Beat It), the video starts out with two gangs approaching each other for a bit of street fighting.

The two gangs approach each other during the first half of teh video, meeting and sizing other up at Van Halen’s guitar solo. The two leaders meet for a knife fight and the n fortunately, MJ steps in, breaks the fight up, and the gangs break out in a tightly choreographed dance.

Slightly ridiculous, incredibly awesome, it’s a great song and the video has a cool narrative to it.

  • Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train

A legendary song amongst guitar players, notably for Rhandy Rhoads killer riff at the start of the song (fun fact – on my album Impetuous Desire, the song Waves of Tomorrow has a harmony that is this riff played backwards).

Released in 1980 as the first single from the ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ album, Crazy Train is a refection on the Cold War that was happening in the world, where nuclear annihilation was a real concern for many years.

The solo has been called one of the greatest in history and the song repeatedly features on lists for greatest metal songs of all time.

It’s easy to tell why when you listen to it!

  • Steely Dan – Do It Again

You gotta have a bit of love for the ‘Dan. A more chilled out song with impeccable production, Do It Again has some really nice guitar fills, and is a beautifully put together song.

Recorded in August 1972, written by Donald Jay Fagen and Walter Becker; Do It Again seems to tell the tale of a man who succumbs to his vices and traps himself in a loop of despair.

A classic Steely Dan song, we get treated to a guitar solo and an organ solo. The rhythm players are impeccable and the parts are deceptively simple, and fit perfectly.

A great song – it’s pretty difficult not to enjoy it!

  • Survivor – Eye of the Tiger

You’ve heard this one before, right?

Made famous in the movie Rocky III, the song was actually written for the movie, at the request of Sylvester Stallone. Stallone originally wanted to use “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, but was apparently denied use of the song, which led him to requesting Survivor write a new song for the movie.

The song has been a major worldwide success since its release.

It’s so popular, that it has often been used without permission. Several American politicians have been taken to court over using the song at rallies without obtaining permission. A politician using someone elses work without asking? Who’d have thunk it.

  • Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way

I could listen to this song all day.

This song is one of those songs where the mood of the song and the lyrics don’t really match.

The instrumentation has a really upbeat feel, the backing vocals on the chorus give a happy uplifting sound. Yet the lyrics seem to tell a story of someone wanting to give everything to their partner, who appears uninterested and wants to just… walk away.

While the song is lyrically heartbreaking, musically you want to jump around and dance.

Buckingham wrote the lyrics after Stevie Nicks broke up with him. They’d known each other since they were sixteen, toured the world together, and then he stayed in the band writing songs for her.

It’s hard to imagine what that must have been like, for both of them.

  • Pat Benatar – Heartbreaker

I can’t remember when I first heard Pat Benatar. I think it was on a compilation CD of some sort, probably one of the Air Guitar compilations that came out a while ago now.

This song is incredibly well arranged with some very simple, but very fun guitar parts. Any aspiring songwriter could learn a lot from analysing how this song has been arranged.

The lead guitarist gets a pretty tasty solo at the song. A very enjoyable hit from times gone by with some fun guitar playing, this is a song that is here to stay!

Bob Seger – Hollywood Nights

Bob Seger is a great songwriting, one of the old real American Songwriters that would tell stories.

Telling the story of a small town boy who, needing a change, travelled West and ended up in California, meeting a beautiful Californian girl. He went head over heels for her… until the morning came when he woke up without her.

But hey, that’s just how Hollywood Nights go, right?

Here was Bob’s take on the background to the song:

“The chorus just came into my head; I was driving around in the Hollywood Hills, and I started singing ‘Hollywood nights/Hollywood hills/Above all the lights/Hollywood nights.’ I went back to my rented house, and there was a Time magazine with Cheryl Tiegs on the cover…I said ‘Let’s write a song about a guy from the Midwest who runs into someone like this and gets caught up in the whole bizarro thing.'” Gary Graff, October 1994, Detroit Free Press. “Bob Seger Tells The Stories Behind The Hits. ( link )

best guitar hero world tour songs

  • Van Halen – Hot for Teacher

David Lee Roth takes the sleaze up to 10 with this Van Halen classic, Hot for Teacher.

The song opens up with the drums slowly fading in, before we get a classic Van Halen tapping riff (you can learn how to do tapping on guitar here ).

We then see Van Halen in the classroom, as the teacher enters, ripping off her clothes to a skimpy blue swimsuit.

It’s easy to see why Van Halen chose to never graduate with a school like that.

The scene of Eddied walking down the desks playing his solo is iconic, and the video ends bursting into colour, with hilarious “other lives” of the main cast in the video.

The video was good enough to warrant a protest from “The Parents Music Resource Centre” and is a classic to this day.

  • Eagles – Hotel California

Turning the sex down a few notches, my next favourite on the list has got to be Hotel California. With an instantly recognisable chord progression at the start of the song, this tune has been a favourite of guitar players around the world for years.

Winning awards across the years for best guitar solo of all time, it’s easy to see why this song is on Guitar Hero World Tour.

Steeped in metaphor, the song has had many interpretations, but this quote from Don Felder gives some insight into how the lyrics were written:

Don Henley and Glenn wrote most of the words. All of us kind of drove into L.A. at night. Nobody was from California, and if you drive into L.A. at night… you can just see this glow on the horizon of lights, and the images that start running through your head of Hollywood and all the dreams that you have, and so it was kind of about that… what we started writing the song about.  “Don Felder interview segment”.  The Howard Stern Show . Sirius Satellite Radio. July 17, 2008. ( link )

Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer

We are starting to get into some pretty heavy hitting classics now. I previously wrote about why Livin’ On a Prayer is one of the top 5 Bon Jovi songs , so I’m not sure what else is left to say!

  • Ozzy Osbourne – Mr Crowley

Featuring an impressive introduction on an organ, which sounds enormous; Mr Crowley was released on Ozzy’s debut solo album in 1980. One of two singles, released alongside Crazy Train, it features the awesome guitar work of Rhandy Rhoads, whose solo has become known as one of the best heavy metal solos of all time.

Lyrically revolving around the life and legend of Alistair Crowley (delusional madman extraordinaire), the song seems to poke a bit of fun at him.

With tasty riffs and cool solos, this is a great song.

  • Blondie – One Way or Another

Taking a large shift in genre, we goto Blondie, One Way or Another.

Rather than heavy metal guitars and lyrics of occult masters, we change gears to New York pop with songs of a aspiring lover who… well she sounds like a bit of a stalker.

As it turns out, the song was inspired by one of Debbie Harry’s ex-boyfriends who stalked her after their breakup:

“I was actually stalked by a nutjob so it came out of a not-so-friendly personal event. But I tried to inject a little bit of levity into it to make it more lighthearted. I think in a way that’s a normal kind of survival mechanism. You know, just shake it off, say one way or another, and get on with your life. Everyone can relate to that and I think that’s the beauty of it.” Debbie Harry ( link )

  • Motorhead – Overkill

Opening with an iconic double bass kick in the drums, similar to Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher (Hot for Teacher was released 4 years after Overkill…), Overkill is the title track from Motorhead’s second album, “Overkill”.

A punk laden heavy metal style that some attribute to the early influences for thrash metal, Overkill is a classic Motorhead song. It showcases everything the band is about, which can only be summarised as “Not giving two fucks”.

Maybe not even one.

Oh, and partying hard.

  • Dream Theater – Pull Me Under

Coming from the incredible album, “Images and Words”, Pull Me Under is a masterpiece, blending musicianship and songwriting skills in a way that is rarely seen.

At 8 minutes and 13 seconds, this is not a ‘radio friendly’ song. But it’s not too long. Every second of the song has been finely crafted.

The way the instrumentation and themes develop, just in the intro itself, showcases Dream Theater’s mastery of musical form.

Lyrically based on Shakespear’s play, Hamlet, the song tells the story of Hamlet losing his sanity to his desire to avenge the death of his father.

This song is a masterpiece and received heavy rotation on MTV. It was probably their most commercially successful song, leading to it being referred to as their greatest hit, on the compilation album “Dream Theater’s Greatest Hit (And 21 Other Songs…)

Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man

Featuring some beautiful clean guitar solos that are very nicely harmonised, we have another drastic change in gears compared to the previous song!

Released in August 1973 on the band’s 4th studio album, the song was inspired by Hank Williams song, “Ramblin’ Man”, released in 1951.

A southern rock classic, Ramblin’ Man got a massive reaction from the public, ranking high on several charts and getting voted as one of the best country rock songs of all time.

The song is notable for the long guitar solos at the end, which I personally think is a great way to round off a song.

  • Joe Satriani – Satch Boogie

Joe Satriani was a massive influence on my guitar playing journey . The album Surfing With the Alien blew my mind when I first heard it, and it sparked my addiction to shredding.

Apparently this is the hardest song to play on Guitar Hero World Tour… and also pretty challenging in real life!

Surprisingly for a track like this, it reached 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts in 1988.

  • Metallica – Trapped Under Ice

The 5th track from Metallica’s storming album, Ride the Lightning; ‘Trapped Under Ice’ tells the (somewhat unsurprising) story of a man trapped under ice.

Written from scratch at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, the band had to work fast, as they only had 29 days to finish writing songs and get them recorded before heading out for a European tour.

A thrash metal classic – enjoy!

Guitar Hero World Tour has 86 songs, which are all master recordings (apparently this was a first for Guitar Hero). Here are the songs:

  • Nirvanna – About a Girl (unplugged)
  • The Enemy – Aggro
  • The Guess Who – American Woman
  • Read more about Trust in 3 awesome French heavy metal bands
  • Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way
  • Muse – Assassin
  • System of a Down – BYOB
  • Wings – Band on the Run
  • 311 – Beautiful Disaster
  • Blink 182 – Dammit
  • Radio Futura – Escuela de Calor
  • Foo Fighters – Everlong
  • Dinosaur Jr – Feel the Pain
  • Modest Mouse – Float On
  • Korn – Freak on a Leash
  • Anouk – Good God
  • Beatsteaks – Hail to the Freaks
  • Filter – Hey Man, Nice Shot
  • Find out which Bob Seger song Bon Jovi Covered here
  • Steve Miller Band – The Joker
  • MC5’s Wayne Kramer – Kick Out The Jams
  • Thirty Seconds to Mars – The Kill
  • The Mars Volta – L’Via L’Viaquez
  • Los Lobos – La Bamba
  • Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye
  • This is one of my top 5 Bon Jovi songs
  • The Doors – Love Me Two Times
  • The Cult – Love Removal Machine
  • The Stone Roses – Love Spreads
  • Jimmy Eat World – The Middle
  • Paramore – Misery Business
  • Tokio Hotel – Monsoon
  • Jane’s Addition – Mountain Song
  • The Answer – Never Too Late
  • Beastie Boys Feat. Kerry King – No Sleep Till Brooklyn
  • Negramaro – Nuvole E Lenzuola
  • Interpol – Obstacle 1
  • Willie Nelson – On The Road Again (Live)
  • At The Drive In – One Armed Scissor
  • REM – The One I Love
  • Lacuna Coil – Our Truth
  • Tool – Parabola
  • Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
  • The Living End – Prisoner of Society
  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze (Live)
  • The Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man
  • Rise Against – Re-Education (Through Labour)
  • Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
  • Lostprophets – Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)
  • Sublime – Santeria
  • Tool – Schism
  • Bullet for my Valentine – Scream Aim Fire
  • Coldplay – Shiver
  • Oasis – Some Might Say
  • NOFX – Soul Doubt
  • No Doubt – Spiderwebs
  • Black Label Society – Stillborn
  • Ted Nugent – Ted Nugent Guitar Duel
  • The Smashing Pumpkins – Today
  • Airbourne – Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
  • Stuck in the Sound – Toy Boy
  • Creedence Cleerwater Revival – Up Around the Bend
  • Tool – Vicarious
  • Kent – VinterNoll2
  • Black rebel Motorcycle Club – Weapon of Choice
  • Linkin Park – What I’ve Done
  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Wind Cries Mary
  • HushPuppies – You’re Gonna Say Yeah!
  • Zakk Wylde – Zakk Wylde Guitar Duel

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

best guitar hero world tour songs

Up Next: Glossary

Top guide sections.

  • Introduction

Was this guide helpful?

In this guide.

Guitar Hero World Tour

  • Is a New iPad Pro Coming Soon?
  • Get It Now: Spring Tech Deals at Amazon

Track List of Songs in Guitar Hero World Tour

Rock on with 86 classic songs

best guitar hero world tour songs

  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
  • Consoles & PCs
  • Gaming Services
  • Game Play & Streaming
  • Mobile Gaming

When Guitar Hero World Tour, the fourth music video game in the Guitar Hero series, was released in late 2008, it wasn’t quite like its predecessors. While this version focused on mimicking its included musical tracks using special game controllers, it also included drums and vocals, as well as a music studio to create your own songs.

The Guitar Hero World Tour song list consists of 86 tunes from artists and bands including Blink-182, Bon Jovi, Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Rise Against, and many others. When the game was first released, players could also purchase and download additional tracks, but that downloadable content is no longer available.

Looking for some Guitar Hero World Tour cheats? We have guides for the PC version and Xbox 360 version of the game.

Guitar Hero World Tour Song List

  • Airbourne—“Too Much Too Young”
  • The Allman Brothers Band—“Ramblin' Man”
  • Anouk—“Good God”
  • The Answer—“Never Too Late”
  • At the Drive-In—“One-Armed Scissor”
  • Beastie Boys—“No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
  • Beatsteaks—“Hail to the Freaks”
  • Billy Idol—“Rebel Yell”
  • Black Label Society—“Stillborn”
  • Black Rebel Motorcycle Club—"Weapon of Choice”
  • Blink-182—“Dammit”
  • Blondie—“One Way or Another”
  • Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band—“Hollywood Nights”
  • Bon Jovi—“Livin’ on a Prayer”
  • Bullet for My Valentine—“Scream Aim Fire”
  • Coldplay—“Shiver”
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival—“Up Around the Bend”
  • The Cult—“Love Removal Machine”
  • Dinosaur Jr.—“Feel the Pain”
  • The Doors—“Love Me Two Times”
  • Dream Theater—–“Pull Me Under”
  • The Eagles—“Hotel California”
  • The Enemy—“Aggro”
  • Filter—“Hey Man, Nice Shot”
  • Fleetwood Mac—“Go Your Own Way”
  • Foo Fighters—“Everlong”
  • The Guess Who—“American Woman”
  • Hush Puppies—“You're Gonna Say Yeah!”
  • Interpol—“Obstacle 1”
  • Jane's Addiction—“Mountain Song”
  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience—“Purple Haze (Live)”
  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience—“The Wind Cries Mary”
  • Jimmy Eat World—“The Middle”
  • Joe Satriani—“Satch Boogie”
  • Kent—“VinterNoll2”
  • Korn—“Freak on a Leash”
  • Lacuna Coil—“Our Truth”
  • Lenny Kravitz—“Are You Gonna Go My Way”
  • Linkin Park—“What I've Done”
  • The Living End—“Prisoner of Society”
  • Los Lobos—“La Bamba”
  • Lost Prophets—“Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)”
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd—“Sweet Home Alabama (Live)”
  • Mars Volta—“L'Via L'Viaquez”
  • MC5’s Wayne Kramer—“Kick Out the Jams”
  • Metallica—“Trapped Under Ice”
  • Michael Jackson—“Beat It”
  • Modest Mouse—“Float On”
  • Motörhead—“Overkill”
  • Muse—“Assassin”
  • Negramaro—“Nuvole e Lenzuola”
  • Nirvana—“About a Girl (Unplugged)”
  • No Doubt—“Spiderwebs”
  • NOFX—“Soul Doubt”
  • Oasis—“Some Might Say”
  • Ozzy Osbourne—“Crazy Train”
  • Ozzy Osbourne—“Mr. Crowley”
  • Paramore—“Misery Business”
  • Pat Benatar—“Heartbreaker”
  • Radio Futura—“Escuela De Calor”
  • R.E.M.—“The One I Love”
  • Rise Against—“Re-Education Through Labor”
  • Sex Pistols—“Pretty Vacant”
  • Silversun Pickups—“Lazy Eye”
  • Smashing Pumpkins—“Today”
  • Steely Dan—“Do It Again”
  • Steve Miller Band—“The Joker”
  • Sting—“Demolition Man (Live)”
  • The Stone Roses—“Love Spreads”
  • Stuck in the Sound—"Toy Boy”
  • Sublime—“Santeria”
  • Survivor—“Eye of the Tiger”
  • System of a Down—“B.Y.O.B.”
  • Ted Nugent—“Stranglehold”
  • Ted Nugent—"Ted Nugent Guitar Duel"
  • 30 Seconds to Mars—“The Kill”
  • Tokio Hotel—“Monsoon”
  • Tool—“Parabola”
  • Tool—“Schism”
  • Tool—“Vicarious”
  • 311—“Beautiful Disaster”
  • Trust—“Antisocial”
  • Van Halen—"Hot for Teacher”
  • Willie Nelson—“On the Road Again”
  • Wings—“Band on the Run”
  • Zakk Wylde—"Zakk Wylde Guitar Duel"

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

  • Band Hero Song List
  • Rock Band Official Set List
  • Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Setlist
  • Karaoke Revolution Xbox Song List
  • Rock Band 4 on Xbox One Instrument Compatibility FAQ
  • Guitar Hero vs. Real Guitar
  • 'Guitar Hero: Metallica' Full Song List
  • The Best 6 Music/Rhythm Games for Xbox 360
  • Full Rock Band 4 Track List
  • The 19 Best Free Virtual Field Trips of 2024
  • The 13 Best Internet Radio Stations of 2024
  • Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Soundtrack
  • How to Learn Guitar on the iPad
  • Rock Band 3 Song List for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
  • The Beatles: Rock Band Song List
  • Xbox One Frequently Asked Questions
  • The A.V. Club
  • The Takeout
  • The Inventory

The Complete Guitar Hero World Tour Set List

Activision has released the entire track listing for their upcoming upgrade to the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero World Tour. Rock Band 2 might have shown their hand a bit early, as Activision trumps their 84 songs on disc by two, delivering 86 master recordings, the largest selection of on-disc music in the genre until the next iterations come out. While many of the songs on the list we've heard about over the past few months, trickling out in various press releases or in news articles, it sure is impressive to see the complete list all at once. See for yourself, after the jump! ACTIVISION UNVEILS FULL GUITAR HERO® WORLD TOUR SET LIST Featuring 86 Master Tracks, Game Delivers The Biggest Selection of On-Disc Music In The Music-Rhythm Videogame Genre To Date Santa Monica, CA – September 12, 2008 – Delivering unparalleled depth and diversity featuring some of the most prolific artists of all time including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Van Halen, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Michael Jackson and more, Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today revealed the highly-anticipated full set list for Guitar Hero® World Tour, the definitive rock ‘n' roll music videogaming experience. Spanning over 40 years of rock history and featuring 86 tracks, comprised entirely of master recordings, the game will deliver Guitar Hero® fans the largest selection of on-disc music in the music-rhythm videogame genre to date. The complete Guitar Hero World Tour on-disc set list available on October 26, 2008 will include: * 311 - "Beautiful Disaster" * 30 Seconds To Mars - "The Kill" * Airbourne - "Too Much Too Young" * The Allman Brothers Band - "Ramblin' Man" * Anouk - "Good God" * The Answer - "Never Too Late" * At The Drive-In - "One Armed Scissor" * Beastie Boys - "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" * Beatsteaks - "Hail to the Freaks" * Billy Idol - "Rebel Yell" * Black Label Society - "Stillborn" * Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Weapon of Choice" * blink-182 - "Dammit" * Blondie - "One Way or Another" * Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - "Hollywood Nights" * Bon Jovi - "Livin' On A Prayer" * Bullet For My Valentine - "Scream Aim Fire" * Coldplay - "Shiver" * Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Up Around The Bend" * The Cult - "Love Removal Machine" * Dinosaur Jr. - "Feel The Pain" * The Doors - "Love Me Two Times" * Dream Theater - "Pull Me Under" * The Eagles - "Hotel California" * The Enemy - "Aggro" * Filter - "Hey Man, Nice Shot" * Fleetwood Mac - "Go Your Own Way" * Foo Fighters - "Everlong" * The Guess Who - "American Woman" * Hush Puppies - "You're Gonna Say Yeah!" * Interpol - "Obstacle 1" * Jane's Addiction - "Mountain Song" * Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze (Live)" * Jimi Hendrix - "The Wind Cries Mary" * Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle" * Joe Satriani - "Satch Boogie" * Kent - "Vinternoll2" * Korn - "Freak On A Leash" * Lacuna Coil - "Our Truth" * Lenny Kravitz - "Are You Gonna Go My Way" * Linkin Park - "What I've Done" * The Living End - "Prisoner of Society" * Los Lobos - "La Bamba" * Lost Prophets - "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" * Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama (Live)" * Mars Volta - "L'Via L'Viaquez" * MC5's Wayne Kramer - "Kick Out The Jams" * Metallica - "Trapped Under Ice" * Michael Jackson - "Beat It" * Modest Mouse - "Float On" * Motörhead - "Overkill" * Muse - "Assassin" * Negramaro - "Nuvole e Lenzuola" * Nirvana - "About a Girl (Unplugged)" * No Doubt - "Spiderwebs" * NOFX - "Soul Doubt" * Oasis - "Some Might Say" * Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train" * Ozzy Osbourne - "Mr. Crowley" * Paramore - "Misery Business" * Pat Benatar - "Heartbreaker" * R.E.M. - "The One I Love" * Radio Futura - "Escuela De Calor" * Rise Against - "Re-Education Through Labor" * Sex Pistols - "Pretty Vacant" * Silversun Pickups - "Lazy Eye" * Smashing Pumpkins - "Today" * Steely Dan - "Do It Again" * Steve Miller Band - "The Joker" * Sting - "Demolition Man (Live)" * The Stone Roses - "Love Spreads" * Stuck In The Sound - "Toy Boy" * Sublime - "Santeria" * Survivor - "Eye of the Tiger" * System of a Down - "B.Y.O.B." * Ted Nugent - "Stranglehold" * Ted Nugent's Original Guitar Duel Recording * Tokio Hotel - "Monsoon" * Tool - "Parabola" * Tool - "Schism" * Tool - "Vicarious" * Trust - "Antisocial" * Van Halen - "Hot For Teacher" * Willie Nelson - "On The Road Again" * Wings - "Band on the Run" * Zakk Wylde's Original Guitar Duel Recording When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless controllers with new revolutionary online* and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n' roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunesSM where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations. Guitar Hero World Tour is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The Wii™ version is being developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version is being developed by Budcat. The game is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour, please visit www.guitarhero.com.

Full Guitar Hero: World Tour set-list

All 86 launch tracks set in stone.

Activision has finally concreted the list of 86 songs to be available on the Guitar Hero: World Tour disc that launches in October. So hopefully they'll stop sending us 15 press releases a week. We hate Sting .

We love Sting really, and he's among those we knew about, although rather a lot of that leaked old track list turned out to be wide of the mark.

Bon Jovi will be there though with "Livin' On A Prayer", which we may or may not have on our iPod, as will Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". That might also be on our playlist.

There's lots and lots to look through, including those exclusive tracks captured as a result of deals with the to-be-playable rock stars Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne and more.

Here's that list in alphabetical order:

  • 311 - "Beautiful Disaster"
  • 30 Seconds To Mars - "The Kill"
  • Airbourne - "Too Much Too Young"
  • The Allman Brothers Band - "Ramblin' Man"
  • Anouk - "Good God"
  • The Answer - "Never Too Late"
  • At The Drive-In - "One Armed Scissor"
  • Beastie Boys - "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"
  • Beatsteaks - "Hail to the Freaks"
  • Billy Idol - "Rebel Yell"
  • Black Label Society - "Stillborn"
  • Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Weapon of Choice"
  • blink-182 - "Dammit"
  • Blondie - "One Way or Another"
  • Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - "Hollywood Nights"
  • Bon Jovi - "Livin' On A Prayer"
  • Bullet For My Valentine - "Scream Aim Fire"
  • Coldplay - "Shiver"
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Up Around The Bend"
  • The Cult - "Love Removal Machine"
  • Dinosaur Jr. - "Feel The Pain"
  • The Doors - "Love Me Two Times"
  • Dream Theater - "Pull Me Under"
  • The Eagles - "Hotel California"
  • The Enemy - "Aggro"
  • Filter - "Hey Man, Nice Shot"
  • Fleetwood Mac - "Go Your Own Way"
  • Foo Fighters - "Everlong"
  • The Guess Who - "American Woman"
  • Hush Puppies - "You're Gonna Say Yeah!"
  • Interpol - "Obstacle 1"
  • Jane's Addiction - "Mountain Song"
  • Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze (Live)"
  • Jimi Hendrix - "The Wind Cries Mary"
  • Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle"
  • Joe Satriani - "Satch Boogie"
  • Kent - "Vinternoll2"
  • Korn - "Freak On A Leash"
  • Lacuna Coil - "Our Truth"
  • Lenny Kravitz - "Are You Gonna Go My Way"
  • Linkin Park - "What I've Done"
  • The Living End - "Prisoner of Society"
  • Los Lobos - "La Bamba"
  • Lost Prophets - "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)"
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama (Live)"
  • Mars Volta - "L'Via L'Viaquez"
  • MC5's Wayne Kramer - "Kick Out The Jams"
  • Metallica - "Trapped Under Ice"
  • Michael Jackson - "Beat It"
  • Modest Mouse - "Float On"
  • Motörhead - "Overkill"
  • Muse - "Assassin"
  • Negramaro - "Nuvole e Lenzuola"
  • Nirvana - "About a Girl (Unplugged)"
  • No Doubt - "Spiderwebs"
  • NOFX - "Soul Doubt"
  • Oasis - "Some Might Say"
  • Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train"
  • Ozzy Osbourne - "Mr. Crowley"
  • Paramore - "Misery Business"
  • Pat Benatar - "Heartbreaker"
  • R.E.M. - "The One I Love"
  • Radio Futura - "Escuela De Calor"
  • Rise Against - "Re-Education Through Labor"
  • Sex Pistols - "Pretty Vacant"
  • Silversun Pickups - "Lazy Eye"
  • Smashing Pumpkins - "Today"
  • Steely Dan - "Do It Again"
  • Steve Miller Band - "The Joker"
  • Sting - "Demolition Man (Live)"
  • The Stone Roses - "Love Spreads"
  • Stuck In The Sound - "Toy Boy"
  • Sublime - "Santeria"
  • Survivor - "Eye of the Tiger"
  • System of a Down - "B.Y.O.B."
  • Ted Nugent - "Stranglehold"
  • Ted Nugent's Original Guitar Duel Recording
  • Tokio Hotel - "Monsoon"
  • Tool - "Parabola"
  • Tool - "Schism"
  • Tool - "Vicarious"
  • Trust - "Antisocial"
  • Van Halen - "Hot For Teacher"
  • Willie Nelson - "On The Road Again"
  • Wings - "Band on the Run"
  • Zakk Wylde's Original Guitar Duel Recording

Read this next

  • All Guitar Hero, DJ Hero song DLC to be removed
  • Activision closes Guitar Hero dev
  • A Guitar Hero game every year "a given"

Resident Evil 9 will be open-world, leaker suggests

Enotria: The Last Song CEO apologises to "Xbox community" for "a choice that was forced to make"

Try new "Arthurian legend" co-op action roguelike, Sworn, for free next week

GTA 6's release may slip to 2026 as development has reportedly "fallen behind"

Larian's next game will have different "tone, style, way of doing it" to Baldur's Gate 3, but won't "dwarf" it

Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide DLC makes a splash this April

Pokémon fan game site shuts down after nearly a decade, following takedown notice

Italian Soulslike Enotria: The Last Song delayed, avoiding Elden Ring DLC

The latest video game jobs on GamesIndustry.biz

Screen Rant

12 greatest guitar hero songs of all time.

The Guitar Hero franchise has an extensive musical catalog, the majority of tracks featured in the series are good, but some are great.

Although no new Guitar Hero game has been released since the generally underwhelming Guitar Hero Live in late 2015, the once-popular rhythm games have retained a dedicated fanbase that continue to rock out with their guitar-shaped controllers to some of the biggest, best, and most technically demanding songs of all time. Since the release of Guitar Hero in 2005, there have been seven mainline entries into the series, with approximately 3000 songs ranging from pop to prog, jazz to heavy metal, and neo-classical to grunge, featured in the extensive and eclectic catalog.

With such an enormous catalog of tracks featured across the Guitar Hero series, many of which are widely considered to be some of the most iconic songs ever created, it is interesting to consider which are the greatest Guitar Hero songs of all time. They may not necessarily be the greatest songs of all time; however, their importance to the legacy of the series, impressive guitar-centric instrumentation, or notoriety as remarkably difficult in the game, qualify them as some of the greatest Guitar Hero tracks.

Related: What Happened To Guitar Hero?

12 Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

One of the first songs many budding rock stars learn on the guitar is also one of the greatest songs playable in any game from the Guitar Hero franchise. Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" is a mainstay in the series, playable in Guitar Hero , Guitar Hero 2 , and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits . It is one of the easiest songs in any Guitar Hero game, but it's one most rock aficionados love, even those who don't easily recognize its signature riff. The highlight of the track is its easy-to-play and infectiously catchy central theme created by Ritchie Blackmore.

11 Bon Jovi - Livin’ on a Prayer

Released in 1986 on the album, Slippery When Wet , Bon Jovi's signature song, "Livin’ on a Prayer", is one of the easiest tracks to play on lead guitar in any Guitar Hero game. In spite of its technical simplicity, it is undeniably one of the greatest tracks featured in the series' extensive musical catalog. Playable in Guitar Hero World Tour and Guitar Hero Live , "Livin’ on a Prayer" is the first track on World Tour , and it really sets the game off with a bang. The track is a classic of '80s glam metal and remains a fan-favorite song.

10 The Eagles - Hotel California

Featured in Guitar Hero World Tour , "Hotel California" is one of the best Guitar Hero songs of all time. The laid-back soft rock song from 1976's Hotel California , The Eagles' fifth studio album, is widely regarded as the band's creative magnum opus - an impressive achievement considering their extensive repertoire of classics and hits. Although "Hotel California" has a long - and at times fast - lead guitar solo, the track does not require the mastery of complex techniques and is mostly on the slower side - as a result, it is one of the easier options to play in Guitar Hero World Tour .

9 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird

It may have obtained a status as a meme , but Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern rock anthem, "Free Bird", is one of the greatest songs to ever feature in Guitar Hero . Playable in Guitar Hero 2 and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits , "Free Bird" is one of the longest and hardest tracks in the series. A player's endurance will be pushed to its limit during the nearly ten-minute track, which varies in tempo from the slow opening to the blisteringly fast solo. Hammer-ons, triplets, and complex fretting throughout ensure that "Free Bird" is one of the best, but hardest songs in Guitar Hero .

8 Guns N’ Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine

Although only ever featured in Guitar Hero 2 , the classic track from Guns N’ Roses, "Sweet Child O’ Mine", is one of the greatest songs playable in any game from the series. Released in 1988 on the debut album Appetite for Destruction , "Sweet Child O’ Mine" is a riff tour de force; undoubtedly one of the band's most iconic songs. Though the solo may offer newer players a challenge, the track is a rather easygoing one. "Sweet Child O’ Mine" is a classic and the lightly modified version featured on Guitar Hero 2 is a joy to play every time.

7 Foo Fighters - Everlong

Although the Foo Fighters' 1997 alternative rock smash hit, "Everlong", seems as if it would be a relatively easy track to perform in any Guitar Hero , its sole appearance in Guitar Hero World Tour can definitely challenge an unprepared player's endurance and is, at times, deceptively difficult. The hardest parts of "Everlong" are the song's alternate strumming pattern and the continual need to quickly maneuver the index finger back and forth between the Red and Green positions. In spite of this, the track is a classic, and it is one of the greatest songs featured in the Guitar Hero series.

6 Metallica - One

One of the big four bands of metal, Metallica, is known for its brutally heavy and ferociously fast tracks - a great example of this is "One". Based on the novel Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, "One", is among the band's most popular songs, it is also perhaps the hardest of their songs to play in any Guitar Hero . Originally featured in Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock and then in Guitar Hero: Metallica , owing to its rapid tempo and that one infuriating yellow, "One" is notable for being an incredibly difficult track to get a full combo on.

5 Van Halen - Eruption

Featured in the criminally underrated Guitar Hero: Van Halen , "Eruption" is one of the most influential hard rock songs ever. Although only 1:42 in duration, the heavy metal instrumental guitar solo composed and performed by legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen is famous for its exhibition of innovative use of instrumental techniques - many of which make the Guitar Hero version one of the most difficult songs in the series. As it is a relatively short track, "Eruption" is less a challenge of physical and mental endurance, and more a fight to withstand the barrage of tapping, pull-offs, and shredding.

4 Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son

First featured in Guitar Hero 2 , before returning to the series in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and Guitar Hero Live , Kansas' magnum opus, "Carry On My Wayward Son", is a classic, progressive, and hard rock anthem - certainly one of the greatest songs in any game from the series. The track has become an icon of the series, synonymous with the widely loved second installment. "Carry On My Wayward Son" is not exceedingly challenging in any way, and although it has an intricate and, therefore, moderately difficult solo, the track, for the most part, only requires knowledge of simple instrumental techniques.

3 Steve Ouimette - The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Originally a country song by The Charlie Daniels Band, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" was re-imagined as a speed metal track by Steve Ouimette for the final boss battle in Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock . Like many of the most difficult songs in the series, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a serious test of the endurance of even the most experienced Guitar Hero aficionados - the track is ferociously fast, with a near-endless bombardment of notes launched at the player. Although it is intentionally difficult, Ouimette's cover of the classic track is one of the series' best.

2 Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover

Unlike many of the most challenging songs in the Guitar Hero series, Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dove" is not a distortion-filled metal song, but a texturally bright combination of instrumental neo-classical and progressive rock. The particularly complex and difficult sections of "Cliffs of Dover" come in the composition's three solos, all of which are just as difficult as the heaviest of heavy metal tracks featured in any Guitar Hero ​​​​​​. Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" has an incredibly catchy melody and offers a refreshing break from the metal. Easily one of the greatest songs playable in any game from the series.

1 DragonForce - Through the Fire and Flames

Guitar Hero 3 Gameplay

First featured as a bonus song in Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock , before later appearing in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits and Guitar Hero Live , "Through the Fire and Flames", is a blisteringly fast track by British power metal band DragonForce. Maintaining the extreme speed of the song is difficult in its own right; however, the real challenge emerges with the various advanced techniques required throughout the track - hammer-ons, intensive strumming, and complex fretting ensure that "Through the Fire and Flames" is one of the hardest songs to pass in the vast musical catalog of the Guitar Hero franchise.

GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Guitar Hero World Tour Hands-On - Full Set List, Music Studio, and Mii Freestyle

We cast our gaze on the full tracklist and a few different ways that you'll be making your own music in this ambitious sequel to Activision's massive rhythm franchise.

By Shaun McInnis on September 12, 2008 at 5:02PM PDT

In case you missed it, Activision recently let the cat out of the proverbial bag by confirming the entirety of Guitar Hero World Tour's 86-song tracklist. We had the chance to play through a good chunk of these songs earlier this week when Activision held a Guitar Hero press event in Santa Monica, with every song in the game available for Quick Play fun. In addition, we were treated to a demo of the Music Studio mode by members of the Neversoft team, and a run-through of the basics of the Wii-exclusive Mii Freestyle mode from the folks at Vicarious Visions.

The recently unveiled tracklist is a behemoth that spans an eclectic mix of music. At one end of the list are laid-back tunes such as Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" and The Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man," whereas situated at the other end of the spectrum are more frantic, aggressive numbers such as "One-Armed Scissor" by At The Drive-In and the borderline schizophrenic "B.Y.O.B." by System of a Down. And to make sure you're not overwhelmed by pure rock and roll, wildcards have been thrown into the mix as well, including Michael Jackson's "Beat It," the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," and Los Lobos' "La Bamba."

Another item of note about the soundtrack is the number of repeats. Whereas Rock Band had only one song per artist in the original game (before adding to an artist's stable of tunes with downloadable content later on), Guitar Hero has isolated a few artists for special attention right out of the gate. Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, and Tool all feature more than one song in the game--two each for Jimi and Ozzy, and three in the case of Tool.

Many have been clamoring for a "No Fail" mode in Guitar Hero World Tour, and though the game won't offer one per se, there are a few alternatives that we picked up on during an evening spent watching a large number of people getting acquainted with the game's new setup. For one, there's the beginner difficulty level that sits even lower than easy. This one is monumentally difficult to fail out of, and though it makes playing the actual instruments a touch on the boring side, it gives you the ability to embellish your singing quite a bit without suffering a substantial penalty. Another option to approximate No Fail is the ability to change your instrument's difficulty in the pause menu without exiting back out to the song-selection process. Just hit start, raise or lower the challenge level, and the song will start over.

World Tour's Music Studio mode stands as one of the most interesting weapons being wielded in the escalating battle between multi-instrument rhythm games. Whereas Rock Band 2 has a massive catalogue of DLC songs going into its release, World Tour adds the ability to create your own music and expand the game's tracklist with a virtually infinite number of player-created songs. In the past, we've seen this feature demonstrated numerous times by members of Neversoft, but this was our first time getting the chance to run through it on our own. What we didn't realize before is the tiered level of accessibility to the Studio. Prior indications led us to believe that the Studio was more for the hardcore crowd, but after spending some time with it, we can see that's not necessarily the case.

A look at the GH Tunes hub, where you can download songs created by other players.

Much of that has to do with the way the Music Studio is broken down. It's divided into three primary areas: GH Tunes, GH Studio, and GH Mix. Thanks to GH Tunes, casual players don't even need to hit the record button to reap the benefits of the Music Studio. Through this content-sharing service, players can download songs made by other people for free. To help the cream rise to the top, the best music will be promoted in a number of ways. On the main GH Tunes hub, there are categories such as "all-time best," "hot this week," "rising star," and "top artist" to help you find the best material most easily. And to help tip the balance in favor of talented artists, the number of upload slots given to you will gradually increase as your work gains popularity. By default, users can upload five songs, but the best artists can upload an album-length 15 tracks.

For those willing to take the plunge into making their own music, GH Studio is the most accessible option. This is where up to four players can jump into the proverbial recording room and record live performances. Each instrument can be tweaked in a variety of ways. You can change the sound of your drum kit from standard rock to NES-style blips to even robot voice sounds. Guitar is broken down to lead and rhythm; lead can play either single-note riffs or multinote arpeggios, while the rhythm guitarists offer some depth with either full or power chords. Both guitarists can select from a variety of guitar and amp sounds from the virtual Line 6 pods available to them, and the key can be changed in all sorts of ways with all kinds of scales available to select. You can even record keyboard using a guitar controller, and the keyboard melody can later be sung by a vocalist when the song is performed in-game. (Vocal recording has been disabled for myriad legal reasons.)

GH Mix allows for some pretty detailed editing.

Finally, there's GH Mix, which offers the most depth and therefore the biggest learning curve. You can think of it as a MIDI mixing board that one player can go into and record multiple tracks and then edit them to perfection. There are two ways of doing things: live record and step record. In live record, you pick guitar, bass, keyboard, or drums and record your own performance, much like with GH Studio. But here, you have a ton of options at your disposal, such as the ability to fix your own less-than-perfect timing by snapping notes to intervals like the 8th, 16th, and 32nd notes. If you're happy with what you've made, you can use a copy-and-paste tool to turn that section into the chorus, second verse, or anywhere else you want it repeated.

But let's say that you're not happy with the way a recording turned out. That's when the step recording comes in handy. This feature lets you go and nudge individual note icons into their ideal locations, or just drop in new ones over an existing recording to make your original work sound far more elaborate than it really was. With this ability, you're able to overcome the fact that there's only one recording track per instrument by layering new notes over existing recordings to make a given part sound far more vibrant. Of course, some poor soul is still going to try to play these surgically enhanced recordings on expert-level difficulty, but that's the price you pay for sweet music.

A somewhat similar mode to Music Studio exists only on the Wii version of World Tour. Known as Mii Freestyle, this mode presents a chance for a guitarist and drummer to jam alongside one another with a pair of Miis standing in place of the usual Guitar Hero characters. You can't record what you play like in the Music Studio, but it does provide a more accessible form of spontaneous music-making than its more feature-laden counterpart. You begin by picking one of three musical genres: metal, rock, or blues. This choice affects the sound of the instruments that you play and the instrument loops that can be layered into the mix. After that, you can start jamming freestyle or to the advice of the riff suggestion chords displayed at the top of the screen.

As you would imagine, the drumming part is the more straightforward of the two. It's just a simple matter of laying down any old beat for your buddy to play over. Then the person manning the guitar can improvise over that beat by playing any combination of single notes or chords based on how many fret buttons are held. Three tilt zones affect the sound of the guitar: holding the neck down low will provide a low octave, holding it level will put you in the medium octave, and holding it up high will give you access to the sorts of embellishment-heavy riffs that you'd hear way up the neck. In addition, playing chords in the high-tilt zone will drop a guitar loop into the mix that can then be taken out at any moment by hitting the minus button. Given that you can't play bass guitar, bass loops are available to turn on or off in the settings menu.

Mii Freestyle lets you jam out with your celebrity lookalike of choice.

It's a safe bet that Guitar Hero World Tour will be a huge hit, but we're especially eager to see what sort of community develops in the wake of the new Music Studio feature. Some of the example songs created by the Neversoft team (10 of which will appear in the full game) were quite impressive, displaying everything from reggae to a metal cover of "Flight of the Bumble Bee," so we're anxious to see what sort of tunes will be created by diehard fans of the series. We'll find out when the game arrives on store shelves on October 26. Stay tuned for more coverage leading up to the release.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email [email protected]

  • Leave Blank

Join the conversation

Use your keyboard!

Log in to comment

best guitar hero world tour songs

best guitar hero world tour songs

The Ultimate Guide to Guitar Hero Songs

best guitar hero world tour songs

Hey there, fellow music enthusiasts and gamers! If you’ve ever found yourself deep in the rhythm, hitting notes with precision, and feeling the adrenaline rush of nailing a solo on Guitar Hero, you know exactly why this game has become a cornerstone in both gaming and music culture.

As a passionate musician and an avid gamer, I’ve spent countless hours mastering tracks, battling friends in guitar duels, and exploring the extensive library of Guitar Hero songs. Today, I’m here to share the love, the challenge, and the sheer joy of what these games have to offer.

A Rockin’ Repertoire

A man playing a guitar on stage.

Guitar Hero has come a long way since its inception, bringing players an impressive collection of tracks ranging from rock and metal anthems to indie gems and pop hits. Among the standout tracks that have defined my Guitar Hero experience are heart-pounding numbers like “Tears Don’t Fall” by Bullet For My Valentine and the epic showdowns of Metallica’s “One”. But let’s not forget the classics, such as “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, and the intense energy of Slayer’s “Chemical Warfare”.

These songs, hailing from various editions of the Guitar Hero series, including the iconic Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and Guitar Hero: Encore Heavy Metal, offer not just a journey through music history but a challenge to gamers’ skills and a testament to the diverse tastes of the Guitar Hero community.

The Evolution of Guitar Hero

From its early days, Guitar Hero wasn’t just about strumming along to your favorite tracks; it was about immersing yourself in the life of a rock star. The series evolved with features like the band career path in Guitar Hero World Tour, where players could team up and embark on a journey to music stardom, and the inclusion of various track packs like the death metal track pack and the rock track pack, which expanded the musical horizons of players.

One of the game’s strengths has been its ability to bring a wide array of music to the forefront, from the Jimi Hendrix track pack to the soulful tunes of the Allman Brothers Band. The diversity extends to genres beyond rock, with the electro-rock of Smashing Pumpkins and the southern rock vibes of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”, making Guitar Hero a celebration of music’s vast landscape.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock

Special Features and Improvements:

  • Quest Mode: A story-driven mode where players unlock characters with special abilities, enhancing gameplay.
  • Expanded Setlist: Over 90 tracks, focusing on rock and heavy metal, the largest number of songs in any Guitar Hero game at its release.
  • Quickplay+: Offers challenges for every track in the game, including those downloaded from the Guitar Hero store, adding replay value.

Warriors of Rock is known for its heavy emphasis on hard rock and metal. Here are some highlights:

  • “Chemical Warfare” by Slayer
  • “Dancing Through Sunday” by AFI
  • “Bat Country” by Avenged Sevenfold
  • “Black Rain” by Soundgarden
  • “Children of the Grave” by Black Sabbath

Guitar Hero Live

Guitar Hero Live

  • Live Action Gameplay: Players perform in front of live crowds that react in real-time to the performance.
  • GHTV: A new game mode featuring a continuous broadcast of music videos where players can jump in and play along, with a rotating library of songs.
  • Redesigned Guitar Controller: Introduced a new 6-button layout, making gameplay more challenging and realistic.

Guitar Hero Live introduced a new live-action approach and GHTV, a video network. It featured a wide range of genres, including:

  • “Chop Suey!” by System of a Down
  • “B.Y.O.B.” by System of a Down
  • “Tribute” by Tenacious D
  • “Berzerk” by Eminem (Rock Genre Influence)
  • “Shadow Moses” by Bring Me the Horizon

Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80s

Guitar Hero Encore

  • 1980s Theme: Focused exclusively on the music of the 1980s, offering a nostalgic experience for fans of the era.
  • New Characters and Venues: Featured era-specific characters and venues, adding to the 80s rock atmosphere.
  • Limited Edition Songs: Included tracks that were difficult to license, making for a unique playlist dedicated to the 80s.

As the title suggests, this game focused on the rock hits of the 80s, featuring:

  • “Round and Round” by Ratt
  • “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister
  • “Nothin’ But a Good Time” by Poison
  • “Metal Health” by Quiet Riot
  • “Holy Diver” by Dio

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith

Guitar Hero Aerosmith

  • Band-Centric Gameplay: Focused on the career of Aerosmith, mixing in historical video footage and interviews with the band.
  • Exclusive Aerosmith Tracks: Featured master recordings from Aerosmith, including some songs performed with other artists.
  • Venue Evolution: Players follow the band’s history, playing in venues from Aerosmith’s storied career.

This game focuses on Aerosmith’s hits, alongside songs from bands that have toured or played with Aerosmith:

  • “Dream On” by Aerosmith
  • “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith
  • “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith ft. Run D.M.C.
  • “Love in an Elevator” by Aerosmith
  • “Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith

Guitar Hero: Metallica

Guitar Hero Metallica

  • Expert+ Difficulty: Introduced a new difficulty setting for drums, allowing for the use of a double bass pedal.
  • Metallica’s Career: Players experience significant events in Metallica’s history, with setlists that include Metallica’s hits and artists that inspired or played with the band.
  • Detailed Band Animations: High-quality animations capturing the unique performance styles of Metallica’s members.

Dedicated to the legendary band, it also includes songs by artists that influenced or toured with Metallica:

  • “Master of Puppets” by Metallica
  • “One” by Metallica
  • “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica
  • “The Thing That Should Not Be” by Metallica
  • “Enter Sandman” by Metallica

Guitar Hero: Van Halen

Guitar Hero Van Halen

  • Van Halen’s Hits: Focuses on the best tracks from Van Halen’s catalog, along with select songs from guest bands.
  • Eddie Van Halen’s Solos: Features iconic guitar solos, showcasing Eddie’s guitar prowess.
  • Van Halen Atmosphere: Captures the essence of Van Halen concerts, with detailed character models and animations.

Focusing on Van Halen’s biggest hits, the game also includes tracks by bands that influenced them:

  • “Jump” by Van Halen
  • “Panama” by Van Halen
  • “Eruption” by Van Halen
  • “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” by Van Halen
  • “Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen

Band Hero

  • Family-Friendly Playlist: Offers a broad mix of music, including pop, rock, and other genres, aimed at a wider audience.
  • Party Play Mode: Allows players to jump in and out of songs seamlessly, making it ideal for social gatherings.
  • Compatibility: Designed to be compatible with Guitar Hero instrument controllers, encouraging band play among friends and family.

Band Hero leans more towards pop and mainstream rock but includes some tracks for rock enthusiasts:

  • “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence
  • “Song 2” by Blur
  • “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down
  • “American Pie” by Don McLean (Rock Genre Influence)
  • “Paralyzer” by Finger Eleven

Guitar Hero: Smash Hits

Guitar Hero Smash Hits

  • Best of Guitar Hero: Compiles the most popular songs from previous Guitar Hero games, all playable with a full band setup.
  • Full Band Play: For the first time, songs originally designed for solo guitar play are now available for play with drums, vocals, and bass.
  • Upgraded Visuals: Songs and venues are updated to the latest game engine, providing improved graphics and performance.

Smash Hits is a compilation of fan-favorite guitar tracks from previous games, remastered to play with a full band:

  • “Cowboys From Hell” by Pantera
  • “Killer Queen” by Queen
  • “Barracuda” by Heart
  • “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas
  • “Them Bones” by Alice in Chains

This list encapsulates just a fraction of the rock and metal anthems that have defined the Guitar Hero series, providing players with an expansive catalog of tracks to master. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, hair metal, or thrash metal, Guitar Hero has something to offer every rock and metal enthusiast.

Each of these versions of Guitar Hero offered something unique, from focusing on specific bands or eras to introducing new gameplay mechanics and modes. This evolution ensured that the franchise remained fresh and continued to appeal to a broad range of players over the years.

Guitar Hero World Tour

Guitar Hero World Tour

Guitar Hero World Tour brought an expansive setlist to players, featuring a mix of rock, metal, alternative, and more, spanning several decades of music. It offered an array of songs that appealed to a broad audience.

Below are some notable songs that were included in Guitar Hero World Tour to give you an idea of the game’s musical diversity:

  • “About a Girl” – Nirvana
  • “American Woman” – The Guess Who
  • “Are You Gonna Go My Way” – Lenny Kravitz
  • “Band on the Run” – Wings
  • “Beat It” – Michael Jackson featuring Van Halen
  • “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
  • “Dammit” – Blink-182
  • “Everlong” – Foo Fighters
  • “Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
  • “Go Your Own Way” – Fleetwood Mac
  • “Hotel California” – Eagles
  • “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
  • “Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi
  • “Love Spreads” – The Stone Roses
  • “Misery Business” – Paramore
  • “One Way or Another” – Blondie
  • “Purple Haze” (Live) – Jimi Hendrix
  • “Ramblin’ Man” – The Allman Brothers Band
  • “Scream Aim Fire” – Bullet for My Valentine
  • “Sweet Home Alabama” (Live) – Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • “Up Around The Bend” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • “What I’ve Done” – Linkin Park

The Challenge and the Thrill

Part of the allure of Guitar Hero is the sheer challenge it presents. The game has introduced some notoriously difficult songs, turning them into rites of passage for players. Tackling tracks like Dragonforce’s “Through the Fire and Flames” became a badge of honor, pushing players to improve their skills and conquer the most daunting challenges the game had to offer.

The competitive modes added another layer to the game, with guitar duels and multiplayer band showdowns allowing friends (and rivals) to go head-to-head in epic musical battles. The introduction of the live track pack and the ability to download songs through the online store kept the competition fresh and exciting, ensuring that there was always a new challenge around the corner.

Navigating Music Licensing

One of the unique challenges Guitar Hero faced was navigating the complex world of music licensing. The series’ ability to feature a wide range of songs was occasionally limited by music licensing issues, but despite these hurdles, Guitar Hero managed to secure an array of well-known songs and hidden gems alike. This effort allowed players to experience the thrill of playing along to tracks by legends like Jimi Hendrix and contemporary stars like Linkin Park, enriching the game’s musical tapestry.

Guitar Hero did more than just entertain; it introduced many players to bands and songs they might never have discovered otherwise. From the heavy riffs of Black Label Society to the punk energy of the Sex Pistols, the game served as a gateway to all corners of the music world. It wasn’t uncommon for players to find themselves diving into music catalogs of featured artists, expanding their musical tastes thanks to the game.

Moreover, Guitar Hero’s influence extended beyond gaming, impacting players’ interest in learning real instruments. The game sparked a surge in guitar sales and inspired many to take up music lessons, proving that video games could have a tangible effect on music education and appreciation.

A Legacy That Rocks On

A man listening to music on his headphones and playing "air guitar"

As we look back on the Guitar Hero series, it’s clear that its legacy is not just about the notes hit or the scores achieved, but about the moments shared, the music discovered, and the community that grew around it. Guitar Hero proved that video games could bridge the gap between gaming and music, creating a unique experience that resonated with millions around the world.

Whether you were aiming to complete easier gigs to unlock that next challenging track or diving into the full album pack to master every song by your favorite band, Guitar Hero offered something for everyone. It wasn’t just about playing music; it was about living out your rock star dreams from the comfort of your living room.

So, here’s to Guitar Hero — to all the late nights, the broken strum bars, the discovered bands, and the friendships forged through music. Whether you’re a seasoned player reminiscing about the glory days or a newcomer curious about the hype, Guitar Hero’s songs continue to echo, reminding us of the power of music and the unending joy of rocking out, one note at a time.

Guitar Hero World Tour/Songs

Table of Contents

  • Achievements

Unlike in previous installments (which had at least some covers), all of the songs featured in Guitar Hero World Tour are master tracks, that is, they are all original recordings of the songs by the original artists.

Navigation menu

StringVibe

25 of the Best Guitar Hero Songs of All Time!

[email protected]

best guitar hero songs

It’s funny how certain songs will always remind you of special events, people, or times in your life. To reminisce on one of our favorite video games of the last 20 years, we decided to make a list of the 25 best guitar hero songs.

It’s easy to say best, but maybe these are just our favorites. Either way, they are songs that will always remind us of the game!

If you played some or all of the Guitar Hero games this will be like taking a stroll down memory lane, for those who just love music you’ll get an idea for the types of music that was included in these games!

What is Guitar Hero?

Guitar Hero took the video gaming world by storm in 2005. Armed with a guitar shaped controller, you were able to play songs along with your favorite musicians and take over playing lead, bass or rhythm guitar for a variety of rock songs. A guitar neck scrolled past you and you had to hit one of five buttons, which coordinated with strings on the guitar.

The game tried to simulate the feel of playing real guitar, with a crowd that cheered and boo’d along with how accurate you were. In addition to scoring points for hitting the correct notes, the harder songs incorporated things like hammer-ons, pull-offs and a whammy bar.

All and all, this game was extremely fun and we played for countless hours. It is the closest thing to playing guitar that wasn’t actually playing guitar and a great way to spend time with friends and have fun. Especially with those friends who don’t play an instrument (yes, we have a few friends like that!)

So, what were the best guitar hero songs? Let’s find out…

25 of the Best Guitar Hero Songs

We have no doubt that we will leave off many songs that people feel should be on this list, and you could probably poll 100 different people and get 100 different “top 25’s”. That’s ok, it was still fun looking back at the Guitar Hero games and assembling this list! Disagree? We’d love to see your lists!

Surrender – Cheap Trick

Although not a very complicated song to play, Surrender is easily among the top played songs among Guitar Hero gamers. A classic rock song aside from Guitar Hero, the repeatable chords and fun lyrics bump this song into the top 25.

Heart-Shaped Box – Nirvana

Kurt Cobain and company make the top 25 with their emotional Heart-Shaped Box track. Another song that allows the gamer to lose themselves in the lyrics and mild chords. Star power is imminent during the short, yet powerful solo.

Shout At The Devil – Motley Crue

A track from Guitar Hero II and a rock & roll classic. Shout At The Devil is the ultimate song to feel like you are on stage in front of a sell-out crowd. Guitar Hero just let you do it from the comfort of your living room!

Cherry Pie – Warrant

A 90’s punk rock classic that is sure to make any gamer feel rebellious. This song will have you hitting every chord while shouting the lyrics at the top of your lungs. The late solo is short, yet tantalizing.

You Really Got Me – Van Halen

Yes, another rock classic, but it couldn’t be left off the best guitar hero songs list. The solo halfway through the song will melt faces and leave your fingers numb from attempting to hit all the chords required for perfection. This track will really get you.

Carry On My Wayward Son – Kansas

This song reminds us of so many things, and Guitar Hero is among them! A powerful solo right out of the gate captivates gamers. Even though the verse and chorus prove to be easy, it’s waiting for the second solo that makes this song worth playing and of course the accolade of one of the best guitar hero tracks.

Message In A Bottle – Police

Most every 2000’s kid came to know this song because of guitar hero. Fast-paced, fun, and easy to sing along to, Message in a bottle easily makes the best guitar hero tracks list. No need for an SOS.

Monkey Wrench – Foo Fighters

This alt-rock headbanger will have gamers wanting more of the Foo Fighters. More of the band’s songs show up in later editions of guitar hero that satisfies that craving, but Monkey Wrench was first and the best. An anthem of sorts, Monkey Wrench is exactly the song that will inspire you to keep shredding the guitar while learning every single word to the song.

Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ – The Rolling Stones

Is any best guitar hero tracks list complete without the Stones? We think not! One of their all-time classics takes form in Guitar Hero II. It’s slower pace really gives permission to the gamer to get more emotionally invested in the song. Find your rhythm and get that star power meter loaded for the face-melting solo.

Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses

Probably the most popular song on Guitar Hero as far as lyrics and playability. This classic rock song settles in as an encore song, perfectly rounding out the setlist. This song comes about halfway through your rock and roll journey and reminds you of why you starting playing this game in the first place.

Killing In The Name – Rage Against the Machine

Often referred to as “nu-metal”, Rage Against the Machine’s music brings the emotions just as their name promises. Rage takes us back to the days of High School and the angry angst this song helped us to express.

In the game this particular song will cause gamers to lose themselves in the vocals and complicated string of chords that accompany the solo.

Carry Me Home – The Living End

Better stretch your fingers for this one because right out of the gate, you’ll be expected to hit a lethal repetition of chords. This song makes the best guitar hero tracks list not because of its popularity or playability, but because it’s incredibly challenging to gamers. If you can master this song, you can master them all.

Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Some people will hate us for this on for sure, but in our opinion it’s not at the top 25 of guitar hero songs without giving a nod to Free Bird. The world-renowned solo and face-melting chords give way for gamers to feel as if they are on the stage themselves. It’s only fitting that Free Bird rounds out the setlist on Guitar Hero II.

Barracuda – Heart

“Ooooooh, Barracuda!” One of the most well known female bands during the ’70s, Heart delivers with the classic rock hit. A chart-topper on the radio and in Guitar Hero. This song is relatively easy for gamers to execute perfection, but it’s the ability to sing along and play that really seals the deal for making this top 25 list.

The Seeker – The Who

Another well-known rock and roll band of the ’70s, The Who is a band that is a “must-play” band among Guitar Hero gamers. A relatively laid back song teases the player like this is song is going to be a breeze. However, this proves to be wrong as the pattern of chords is fast and complicated.

Suck My Kiss – Red Hot Chili peppers

Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock hits us with the all anticipated Red Hot Chili Peppers track, Suck My Kiss. This alternative rock song is relatively easy to play until the solo which requires fast strokes and even more focus. One of our personal favorite bands and songs!

One – Metallica

Heavy metal isn’t heavy metal without Metallica. Don’t let the slow intro fool you; this song is one of the hardest to master and complete as the notes per second hit all-time highs. Metallica brings the heat with metal shredding solos. Get ready to rock like you never have before.

Ace of Spades – Motorhead

Easily the most well-known hit of band Motorhead and a concert set-list guarantee. Ace of spades is one of three songs that appears in multiple games.

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

Is there anyone on the face of the planet who doesn’t know this song?? Guitar Hero gives you a chance to jam with Freddie Mercury and company; what more could you ask for? Get your vocals and fingers ready to play one of the most popular rock songs of all time.

Through The Fire and Flames – DragonForce

Many consider this song to be the most challenging song in Guitar Hero history. This is an obvious best guitar hero track for no other reason than that!

Raining Blood – Slayer

If the hardest is on here, might as well add this one as well! Players consider this the second hardest song to Through The Fire And Flames because of its descending riffs and fast strokes. Thrash metal lives up to its name, bringing all the thrashing runs.

Beast and the Harlot – Avenged Sevenfold

A crowd favorite among Guitar Hero songs and a relatively easy song if you can get through the fast strokes.

Devil Went Down To Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band

While most people know this as a fiddle song, Guitar Hero made it one of the most challenging and fun tracks in its lineup. This 5-minute song contains some of the most grueling and difficult solos of the entire game. In fact, one of the solos is titled the “Death Drain Solo”. Say your prayers…

Welcome to the Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

Guitar Hero had fun and games with triple notes will haunt you throughout this song, but as always, this classic rock favorite is necessary for Guitar Hero gamers.

Bulls on Parade – Rage Against the Machine

Last but not least, Bulls on Parade is at the top of many gamers Guitar Hero setlist. Not extremely difficult in nature, this song once again has gamers feeling like they are on stage in front of a crowd of thousands.

Is Guitar Hero Discontinued?

As of 2021 Guitar Hero is discontinued and its parent company, Ubisoft, has no plans to revive the series. Guitar Hero did have a hiatus from 2011 to 2015 as well, before Guitar Hero Live was released with a new, six button controller, and made for the new gaming consoles. This game had an online version, called GHTV, which was active until 2018.

Ubisoft acquired FreeStyleGames from Activision in 2017, which fueled speculation and hope the game would see a 2nd comeback, but as of now there has been no public signs of this actually happening.

On a personal level, we hope so. Guitar hero did a ton for getting people interested in learning guitar and even started to give them the basic feel and finger agility needed to play!

What Songs Are On The First Guitar Hero?

Pantera – “Cowboys From Hell (Live)” Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out” Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – “I Love Rock N’ Roll” Boston – “More Than A Feeling” White Zombie – “Thunder Kiss ’65” Blue Oyster Cult – “Godzilla” Helmet – “Unsung (Live)” Queen – “Killer Queen” Incubus – “Stellar” Ozzy Osbourne – “Bark At The Moon” Deep Purple – “Smoke On The Water” The Donnas – “Take It Off” The Exies – “Hey You”

What Songs Are On Guitar Hero 2?

Avenged Sevenfold – “Beast And The Harlot” Rage Against The Machine – “Killing In The Name” Rush – “YYZ” Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird” Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench” Iron Maiden – “The Trooper” Nirvana – “Heart-Shaped Box” Lamb of God – “Laid To Rest” The Police – “Message In A Bottle” Wolfmother – “Woman” Kansas – “Carry On Wayward Son” Stone Temple Pilots – “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” Warrant – “Cherry Pie” Alice in Chains – “Them Bones” Danzig – “Mother” Jane’s Addiction – “Stop!” Reverend Horton Heat – “Psychobilly Freakout” The Sword – “Freya” Motley Crue- “Shout At The Devil”

How Many Guitar Hero Games Are There?

There are seven Guitar Hero Games. Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero World Tour, Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, and Guitar Hero Live. This does not include a few spinoffs and mobile versions of the game.

Is Guitar Hero Coming Back

Right now, Activision is the company that owns the rights to the Guitar Hero franchise and they have made no announcements regarding reviving the currently dead franchise. When asked about it, the company stated they were focusing efforts online instead.

The Final Guitar Hero Note

We know not everyone will agree with our best guitar hero songs, and that is ok. One of the best parts of music is we can all disagree and still love it just the same. We hope you enjoyed reading through our list just as much as we enjoyed making it!

Latest posts

Best Apps for Learning Guitar: Top Picks for Beginners

Best Apps for Learning Guitar: Top Picks for Beginners

As a musician, I know how important it is to have the right tools to help me improve my skills. With the rise of technology, there are now many guitar apps available that can help you learn and practice guitar at your own pace. In this article, I will share my top picks for the […]

The Best Headless Guitars in 2023 for Travel and Standing Out

The Best Headless Guitars in 2023 for Travel and Standing Out

Guitarists are always looking for new ways to express themselves through their music, and the instrument they choose to play is a big part of that. One type of guitar design that has been gaining popularity in recent years is the headless guitar.  Unlike traditional guitars, headless guitars don’t have a headstock, which can make […]

The Complete Guide to Guitar Amp Simulators

The Complete Guide to Guitar Amp Simulators

In the world of music production, the quest for the perfect guitar tone is a never-ending pursuit. Guitarists and producers alike are constantly striving to capture that timeless, iconic sound that can only be achieved through a real guitar amp. However, lugging around heavy, expensive gear to every recording session or live performance can be […]

best guitar hero world tour songs

  • Motherboards
  • Cases/Cooling/PSUs
  • Smartphones
  • Google/Android
  • Notebook Reviews
  • Desktop Reviews
  • Mac Reviews
  • Best Laptops
  • Best Android Phones
  • Best Video Cards
  • Best Motherboards
  • Best Gaming Laptops
  • Best Mechanical Keyboards
  • Best Consumer HDDs

Guitar Hero World Tour: The Best, The Worst, and Everything in Between

Our recent coverage of Rock Band 2 told a story of love, hate and uncertainty. Today, we cover that uncertainty with a review of Guitar Hero World Tour that fills in the gaps. That's not to say you have to go read the Rock Band 2 article if you haven't: no pop quizes, I promise. The point is that we now have the missing piece for a lot of people: the first music game that adds drums in the franchise that started the craze. Will it live up to the hype, or not? Or will it go a third direction. I'm going to bet on that last one. But that's a little unfair since I'm writing the review ;-)

Anyway, let's get the overview out of the way first. Guitar Hero was the first, and many music gamers cut their teeth on it. Guitar Hero World Tour (GHWT for short), takes it to the next level adding the same compliment of 4 player guitar, bass, drum and vocal action. GHWT is a different game than RB2, though. The approach is different, the implementation is different, and the end result is different in spite of the fact that the underlying concept is the same.

best guitar hero world tour songs

The first notable feature is the cartoonish interface. Rock Band and RB2 are a little more polished and clean looking, but different people will prefer different looks, so this isn't a huge thing. But the functionality of the interface is a bit clunky. We'll cover that more when talking about game modes, but navigating the game is less natural than RB2. Career mode is essentially broken up into 4 different solo careers and one band career, and the line up of songs you encounter is geared more toward the career for that instrument rather than a generalized tour like with RB2. This is good and bad. Actually, you'll probably see that phrase a lot in this article, so prepare yourself.

best guitar hero world tour songs

We would expect nothing less from a game called Guitar Hero than innovations in the guitar interface. GHWT also took an aggressive stab at RB2 with a more complex drum controller, but the special sauce is really in their guitar as far as we are concerned. The mic is the mic and it's just about the same as the RB2 mic. There are a couple neat differences in how some things work allowing a little more flexibility, but some of the "innovations" are more frustrating than fun.

The music studio is fairly full featured and allows for a little more creativity than the drum "freestyle" mode in RB2. There is also no way to freestyle with the guitar or bass in RB2, so GHWT adds that as well. But there are some really difficult issues that get in the way of this being a real solid feature.

GHWT online play is better in some ways and worse in others than RB2. Like I said, that'll happen a lot. Let's dispense with this preparatory overview nonsense and really dig in. First up, the guitar (and a sentence or two about the mic).

Post Your Comment

27 comments, view all comments, desultory - tuesday, november 18, 2008 - link, jdport - thursday, november 6, 2008 - link, bootay69 - friday, november 7, 2008 - link, afkrotch - wednesday, november 5, 2008 - link, eodetroit - tuesday, november 4, 2008 - link, mavericksy19 - monday, november 3, 2008 - link, crash resistant - monday, november 3, 2008 - link, derekwilson - monday, november 3, 2008 - link, crash resistant - sunday, november 2, 2008 - link.

best guitar hero world tour songs

  • Enterprise & IT
  • Cases/Cooling/PSU(s)
  • Trade Shows

best guitar hero world tour songs

  • Advertising
  • Privacy Policy
  • Show Full Site
  • Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.

Don't have an account? Sign up now

best guitar hero world tour songs

GHWT: DE works best off of the following:

  • OS: Windows 10 (64 bit)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 6th generation or AMD equivalent
  • RAM: 4 GB or higher
  • GPU: Dedicated GPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 900 or AMD equivalent

Take a peek through our helpful Getting Started guide for more information.

This guide should cover most problems that you may encounter when installing or trying to play the mod. Read on!

best guitar hero world tour songs

Mods go in the DATA/MODS directory.

Read the Installing Mods page on the Wiki for a complete guide on how to install characters, songs, and other modded content.

best guitar hero world tour songs

Strong Sounds

30 Best Guitar Hero Songs

jacob home page image

Initially released in 2005, Guitar Hero took the world by storm. Blending gaming with musical skills, the series has continued to grow in popularity with every successive edition that has been introduced.

One of the most appealing aspects of the Guitar Hero series is that it requires no prior experience of playing a real guitar . Furthermore, it is a great introduction to playing the instrument.

Guitar Hero has included many of the most iconic songs in recorded music history. This list provides you with the 30 best songs from Guitar Hero, from many different eras and styles.

best guitar hero world tour songs

1. Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

Taken from their debut album Appetite for Destruction, Sweet Child o’ Mine is one of Guns N’ Roses’ best-known tracks. The blend of rhythm and lead playing makes this one of the top Guitar Hero songs.

The song features some incredible guitar playing by Slash, with the iconic intro riff being particularly fun and challenging to play.

2. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Smells Like Teen Spirit is amongst the most famous songs in Guitar Hero 5. It’s a great choice for beginners and intermediate players looking to improve their rhythm.

Kurt Cobain’s unique, primitive guitar playing departed from the technical styles that had dominated rock for decades. This track is a perfect example of his simple, yet powerful style.

3. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Can’t Stop

Featured in the Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades game, RHCP’s Can’t Stop is the perfect blend of syncopated, funky rhythm guitar and melodic lead playing.

The track was a single from the band’s hugely successful 2002 LP By the Way, with innovative guitarist John Frusciante showcasing his exceptional songwriting ability throughout.

4. Motorhead – Ace of Spades

Heavy metal and Guitar Hero go together brilliantly. This legendary track by Motorhead has a chugging, heavily distorted guitar part that will test your stamina and skills.

The fast tempo of this track requires intense focus to nail each part, and you can expect to improve your timing considerably by mastering it in Guitar Hero.

5. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free Bird

The tone of the lead guitar in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1974 classic rock track, Free Bird, is exquisite. Smooth and immersive, it glides over the rhythm section effortlessly until the fast-paced end section when Allen Collins shows his virtuosic style.

This is undoubtedly one of Guitar Heroes’ best songs for skilled players who enjoy tempo changes.

6. Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water

Smoke on the Water is a go-to song for novice guitar players. It allows you to build your skills in Guitar Hero, and familiarize yourself with the notes and controls.

The catchiness of the main guitar riff makes it easy to remember the rhythm, and you can expect to see quick improvements in your playing by mastering this track.

7. Kiss – Crazy Crazy Nights

Added to Guitar Hero Live in 2016, Crazy Crazy Nights by Kiss will test your ability to lock in with the rest of the band.

This song is perhaps the finest example of Kiss’ ability to write catchy guitar riffs that are accessible to beginners.

8. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters

Metallica’s 1992 hit Nothing Else Matters is considered a heavy metal masterpiece, and in my opinion, it is one of the most satisfying songs in Guitar Hero’s catalog.

The dynamic variations in the guitar playing will keep you on your toes throughout, and locking into Lars Ulrich’s crashing drums while strumming the chords is a fantastic experience.

9. Muse – Supermassive Black Hole

I believe that Matt Bellamy is one of the most underrated guitarists of the past thirty years. Supermassive Black Hole, released in 2006,  is the perfect example of his technical, classically-inspired style.

This song is a real challenge when played on the harder difficulties of Guitar Hero. It will test your speed, dexterity, and coordination.

10. Queen – Killer Queen

Whether you’re a Queen fan or not, it’s hard to deny the incredible fun that guitarists can have when playing along to their tracks. Killer Queen, with its complex chord changes and insanely catchy solo, is a great choice for Guitar Hero players.

There are many sections to this song, so it forces you to concentrate to make sure you nail the transitions. This is a valuable skill to develop, both in the Guitar Hero game and when playing a real axe.

11. Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name

Initially featured on Guitar Hero II, and later in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, Killing in the Name is a great song to thrash along to.

Tom Morello’s bluesy riffs lock in tightly with the bass and drum parts, allowing you to work on your rhythm when playing this timeless classic.

12. The Ramones – I Wanna Be Sedated

The Ramones are a great entry point for any aspiring guitarist, both in the real world and the virtual world of Guitar Hero. This classic punk track is played with a downstroke strumming pattern and is accessible to beginners.

The simplicity of I Wanna Be Sedated is what makes it such fun to play on Guitar Hero and a real instrument.

13. Rush – Tom Sawyer

Released in 1981, Rush’s Tom Sawyer is an exceptional display of compositional genius. This is one of the best songs on Guitar Hero if you’re looking for a challenge!

Playing along with the late Neil Peart’s drums is an opportunity that all guitarists should cherish, and Guitar Hero has made that possible by adding this classic to their catalog.

14. Santana – Black Magic Woman

Originally written by the iconic founder of Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, Black Magic Woman requires expert feel and technique to play on the guitar.

This bluesy number is featured on Guitar Hero 3 and is incredibly difficult to play in expert mode. Santana’s unique style of playing pays homage to Green’s original while adding new flavors into the mix.

15. Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

In my opinion, grunge rockers Soundgarden don’t get enough credit for the stellar work they did in the 1990s. Black Hole Sun is a masterpiece and is a great tune to play on Guitar Hero.

16. The Clash – I Fought the Law

English punk rockers The Clash rose to prominence in the 1970s off the back of the success of bands like The Ramones across the pond.

I Fought the Law is one of their most recognizable songs, despite it being a cover. Playing this track on Guitar Hero is a challenge due to the complex rhythmic changes and rung-out chords, but it’s very satisfying once you nail it!

17. David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust

Ziggie Stardust is part of a small group of songs that you can instantly identify by the very first chord that is struck. With its simple rhythmic strumming pattern, this track is lots of fun to play on Guitar Hero.

18. Foo Fighters – All My Life

Foo Fighters are one of the most frequently featured bands across the Guitar Hero series. Their dark, heavy number, All My Life, is included in both Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits, and Guitar Hero III.

The fast-paced note transitions and chugging rhythms are hard to perfect, but learning this track on Guitar Hero will improve your ability considerably.

19. The Black Keys – Tighten Up

The release of their 2010 album, Brothers, propelled two-piece garage rockers, The Black Keys, to worldwide fame. This track is one of the standout compositions on that album.

Although the guitar parts in this song may sound fairly simple at first, it requires focus and skill to play it well on Guitar Hero. the breakdown section is particularly enjoyable to play along to.

20. Jack White – Lazaretto

Few guitarists have had the same influence in the past twenty years as Jack White. Lazaretto is one of his finest solo compositions, combining smooth vocals with crunchy, catchy guitar licks.

This song is featured in Guitar Hero Live, and even the most skilled gamers will find it a challenge on the maximum difficulty setting.

21. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Are You Gonna Be My Girl is Australian outfit Jet’s most popular song. Released in 2003, it bears similarities to Lust for Life by Iggy Pop in terms of the drum rhythm and guitar riff.

This track was featured on Guitar Hero: On Tour and Guitar Hero Live, and is very enjoyable to jam along to thanks to its rhythmic changes and strong melody.

22. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze

This list of Guitar Hero best songs wouldn’t be complete without an addition from my favorite guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix.

Released in 1970, Purple Haze, with its stomping lead riff and wah-draped chord patterns is a real challenge even for the most accomplished of Guitar Hero players. Over half a century after its original release, guitarists are still attempting to even come close to Hendrix’s unique style of playing this song.

23. Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way

Are You Gonna Go My Way has been featured in two editions of Guitar Hero – World Tour and Live. This track is appropriately positioned after Jimi Hendrix, as Kravitz’s style is often compared to his.

This song has a prominent lead guitar riff which takes real concentration to master in Guitar Hero.

24. Linkin Park – One Step Closer

When Linkin Park burst onto the scene in 2000 with their debut single, One Step Closer, few could have predicted the success that the band would go on to experience.

Featured in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades, this song showcases Chester Bennington’s versatile vocal style and guitarist Brad Delson’s impressive ability to produce catchy, unique riffs.

25. Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box

The second Nirvana song to feature on our list of famous songs in Guitar Hero is Heart Shaped Box, from the follow up to their hugely successful sophomore album Nevermind, entitled In Utero.

While this track lacks the heaviness of many Nirvana songs, its simple riff is a great starting point for those first learning the ropes of Guitar Hero.

26. Oasis – Some Might Say

Hailing from Manchester, England, Oasis rose to prominence in the early 1990s. Their track, Some Might Say, is one of their best songs in Guitar Hero, and is a lot of fun to jam along to.

The chord sequence used in this song by songwriter Noel Gallagher is fairly simplistic, but mastering the strumming pattern in Guitar Hero may take some time.

27. The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black

Few bands have enjoyed the prolonged success that The Rolling Stones have over the past six decades. There are many Stones’ tracks featured in the Guitar Hero series, but Paint It Black is a standout.

With its flamenco-style lead riff and pulsating rhythm, this track will keep you busy for many hours on Guitar Hero.

28. The Strokes – Reptilia

The Strokes were at the forefront of the indie rock revolution in the early 2000s. Their song, Reptilia, from their second studio album entitled Room on Fire, is one of the most popular Guitar Hero songs for all abilities.

The repeating lead guitar riff played by Albert Hammond Jr. requires a good level of dexterity in your fingers, and when the guitar solo kicks in at the end of the track, it becomes a real challenge to keep up.

29. Tenacious D – Tribute

Tenacious D is categorized as a comedy band, but in reality, they made some incredible music. Fronted by actor Jack Black with his friend Kyle Gass on guitar, the duo released Tribute as part of their self-titled debut album in 2001.

This epic display of guitar playing lends itself perfectly to Guitar Hero and is very hard to master in the game.

30. Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine?

In 2012, Arctic Monkeys released AM, which was their fifth consecutive number one album in the UK. The lead single from that album was R U Mine, which has been featured on Guitar Hero Live.

This rock track includes a punchy, pentatonic guitar riff that is quite easy to play but becomes more complex as the song progresses.

jacob home page image

Jacob Gudge

Jacob Gudge is a guitarist, producer, and songwriter from England. He played guitar for Metalcore act Familiar Spirit, who released an album and toured across the UK and Europe. 

Jacob now works as a session guitarist and writes his own solo material. Jacob has extensive knowledge of guitars, amps, cabinets, digital modeler equipment, and a familiarity with virtual instruments and synthesizers.

Related Posts

Best Breedlove Guitars

5 Best Breedlove Guitars

Tortex vs Ultex Plectrum Comparison

Tortex vs Ultex Plectrum Comparison

How to Stop Feedback On a Guitar Amp

How to Stop Feedback On a Guitar Amp

best guitar hero world tour songs

What Are Microphonic Pickups?

Most Popular Canadian Female Singers

17 Most Popular Canadian Female Singers

15 Famous Raspy Voice Singers

15 Famous Raspy Voice Singers

CitizenSide

Guitar Hero World Tour’ Song List

Published: August 17, 2023

guitar-hero-world-tour-song-list

The Classics

The Classics section of Guitar Hero World Tour features timeless hits from the rock and pop genres that have stood the test of time. These songs are beloved by music enthusiasts of all ages and are sure to get players tapping their feet and strumming along.

One iconic song in this section is “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. This epic track showcases Jimmy Page’s legendary guitar skills and Robert Plant’s haunting vocals. Its soaring guitar solos and poetic lyrics make it an absolute must-play for any aspiring rockstar.

Another classic tune in this section is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. This progressive rock masterpiece is known for its intricate harmonies, operatic sections, and Freddie Mercury’s powerful vocals. Players will have a blast trying to hit all the high notes and capturing the song’s grandeur and drama.

No classic section would be complete without The Beatles, and Guitar Hero World Tour delivers with the inclusion of “Hey Jude”. This timeless ballad showcases Paul McCartney’s songwriting genius and features a memorable sing-along chorus that will have players belting out the words with enthusiasm.

For those looking for a dose of bluesy rock, “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is a perfect choice. The iconic opening guitar riff and catchy chorus have made this song a rock anthem. Players will have a blast replicating those classic southern rock licks on their virtual guitar.

Rounding out the Classics section is “Hotel California” by The Eagles. This haunting track is known for its intricate guitar solos and thought-provoking lyrics. It presents a fun challenge for guitarists with its blend of fingerpicking and electric guitar sections.

These are just a few examples of the classics that players can look forward to in Guitar Hero World Tour. With their timeless melodies and unforgettable hooks, these songs are sure to bring back memories and inspire players to rock out like never before.

The Rock Anthems

Prepare to unleash your inner rockstar with the Rock Anthems section of Guitar Hero World Tour. Packed with high-energy tracks and powerful riffs, this section will have players rocking out like never before.

One standout anthem in this section is “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses. This hard-hitting song kicks off with a memorable guitar riff and Axl Rose’s signature vocals. With its gritty lyrics and intense energy, this track is sure to get players headbanging and feeling like true rock legends.

Next up is “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. This iconic stadium rock anthem is all about overcoming struggles and never giving up. With its catchy chorus and soaring guitar solos, players will be transported to a packed arena, belting out the lyrics along with Jon Bon Jovi.

For those seeking a heavier sound, “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine is a must-play. This politically charged anthem features Tom Morello’s explosive guitar riffs and Zack de la Rocha’s powerful vocals. Players will feel the adrenaline rush as they channel their inner rebellion and rage against the machine.

Another rock anthem in this section is “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. With its pounding drums, catchy guitar hooks, and energetic vocals from the late Bon Scott, this song embodies the raw essence of rock ‘n’ roll. Players will surely enjoy the thrill of playing this legendary track.

Rounding out the Rock Anthems section is “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. This grunge anthem defined a generation and catapulted Nirvana to worldwide fame. Its catchy guitar riff and Kurt Cobain’s raw vocals make it a challenging yet satisfying song to master on the virtual stage.

These are just a few rock anthems that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, stadium rock, or hard-hitting alternative, this section has something for everyone. Get ready to rock out and show the world your inner rockstar!

The Pop Hits

The Pop Hits section of Guitar Hero World Tour offers a diverse range of chart-topping tracks that will have players singing and dancing along. From catchy hooks to infectious melodies, these songs are sure to get the party started.

One standout pop hit in this section is “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. This iconic song combines Jackson’s smooth vocals with a groovy bassline and infectious rhythm. Players will enjoy strumming along to the funky guitar parts and emulating Jackson’s signature dance moves.

Next up is “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars. This contemporary hit dominated the charts with its funky beats and catchy chorus. With its disco-inspired sound and electrifying energy, players will find themselves immersed in the infectious groove of this modern pop anthem.

For those craving a dose of girl power, “Roar” by Katy Perry is a perfect choice. This empowering track encourages listeners to find their own voice and be confident in who they are. Players will have a blast channeling their inner strength and belting out the powerful chorus.

Another pop hit in this section is “Hey Ya!” by OutKast. Known for its catchy lyrics and infectious beat, this song took the world by storm when it was released. Players will enjoy strumming along to the funky guitar parts and immersing themselves in the energetic vibe of this fun-loving track.

Rounding out the Pop Hits section is “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran. This mega-hit dominated the charts with its catchy melody and romantic lyrics. With its blend of pop and reggae influences, players will find themselves captivated by the song’s infectious charm.

These are just a few examples of the pop hits that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. From iconic legends to contemporary chart-toppers, this section offers a variety of songs that will keep players entertained and singing along. Get ready to unleash your inner pop star and let the music take you on a journey of pure pop bliss.

The Alternative Selection

The Alternative Selection in Guitar Hero World Tour offers a unique and eclectic mix of songs from the alternative rock genre. These tracks showcase the creativity and innovation of alternative music, providing players with an opportunity to explore a different side of rock.

One standout alternative track in this section is “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. This grunge anthem captured the spirit of disillusionment and rebellion of the 90s. Kurt Cobain’s raw vocals and the song’s infectious energy make it a must-play for fans of alternative rock.

Next up is “Creep” by Radiohead. This haunting and introspective song became an instant classic upon its release. Its soaring chorus and Thom Yorke’s emotive vocals make it a captivating and challenging track for players to immerse themselves in.

For those who enjoy a mix of electronic and alternative, “Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz is a perfect choice. With its groovy bassline and catchy hooks, this song showcases the unique sound that the band is known for. Players will enjoy capturing the blend of alternative and hip-hop elements in this infectious hit.

Another notable alternative track is “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day. This introspective and anthemic song resonated with a generation, capturing feelings of isolation and longing. With its melodic guitar parts and powerful vocals, players can channel their emotions and rock out to this alt-rock favorite.

Rounding out the Alternative Selection is “Clocks” by Coldplay. This atmospheric and piano-driven track showcases the band’s signature sound. With its intricate melodies and introspective lyrics, players will be captivated by the beauty and depth of this alternative gem.

These are just a few examples of the alternative tracks that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of grunge, electronic-infused, or introspective alternative music, this section offers a diverse and exciting lineup. Get ready to dive into the world of alternative rock and unleash your inner alternative rockstar.

The Metal Tunes

Prepare yourself for the thunderous and intense Metal Tunes section of Guitar Hero World Tour. Packed with heavy riffs, blistering solos, and aggressive vocals, this section will satisfy even the most hardcore metalheads.

One standout metal track in this section is “Master of Puppets” by Metallica. This epic masterpiece is a true test of skill for any aspiring guitarist. From the intricate guitar harmonies to the relentless double-bass drumming, players will be challenged to keep up with the intensity of this metal classic.

Next up is “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead. This high-octane track is a perfect example of Lemmy Kilmister’s raw and powerful vocals. With its fast-paced rhythm and iconic guitar riff, players will feel the adrenaline rush as they try to match the speed and intensity of this timeless metal anthem.

For those seeking a dose of brutality, “Walk” by Pantera is a must-play. This heavy-hitting track showcases Dimebag Darrell’s impeccable guitar skills and Phil Anselmo’s aggressive vocals. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the intense guitar parts and headbanging along to the crushing rhythm.

Another metal tune in this section is “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne. This iconic track is known for its memorable guitar intro and Ozzy’s signature vocals. Players will have a blast playing the intricate guitar parts and experiencing the wild ride of this metal classic.

Rounding out the Metal Tunes section is “The Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden. This epic track features Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals and intricate guitar harmonies. Players will immerse themselves in the dark and mystical world of Iron Maiden as they navigate through the challenging guitar solos and powerful chorus.

These are just a few examples of the metal tunes that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of thrash, heavy metal, or groove metal, this section offers a thrilling and intense experience. Get ready to unleash your inner metalhead and conquer the virtual stage with these blistering metal tracks.

The Punk Rock Jams

Get ready to kick up the energy and unleash your rebellious spirit with the Punk Rock Jams section in Guitar Hero World Tour. Packed with fast-paced rhythms, raw vocals, and catchy hooks, these tracks will ignite your inner punk rocker.

One standout punk rock jam in this section is “Basket Case” by Green Day. This iconic track captures the angst and energy of the punk rock movement. With its infectious chorus and fast-paced guitar riffs, players will be jumping and thrashing along to the rebellious spirit of this punk anthem.

Next up is “Blitzkrieg Bop” by Ramones. This fast and furious punk rock classic is known for its simple yet infectious melody and chant-like vocals. Players will enjoy the raw energy of the song as they strum along to the power chords and join in on the “Hey! Ho! Let’s go!” chant.

For those who crave a dose of punk-infused ska, “Sell Out” by Reel Big Fish is a perfect choice. This energetic and humorous track combines punk attitude with catchy horns and upbeat rhythms. Players will have a blast skanking along and embracing the carefree spirit of this punk rock ska sensation.

Another notable punk rock jam is “Anarchy in the U.K.” by Sex Pistols. This rebellious and politically charged track defined the punk rock movement with its aggressive guitar riffs and defiant lyrics. Players will embrace the punk ethos as they jam along to the raw energy of this punk anthem.

Rounding out the Punk Rock Jams section is “All the Small Things” by Blink-182. This pop-punk anthem became an instant hit with its catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. Players will enjoy the fast-paced strumming and infectious chorus that will have them singing along with a punk rock attitude.

These are just a few examples of the punk rock jams that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic punk, ska punk, or pop-punk, this section offers a thrilling and energetic experience. Get ready to unleash your inner punk and embrace the rebellious spirit of these punk rock jams.

The Indie Favorites

The Indie Favorites section of Guitar Hero World Tour brings a unique and eclectic mix of songs from the independent music scene. These tracks capture the spirit of creativity, nonconformity, and musical innovation that define the indie genre.

One standout indie favorite in this section is “Float On” by Modest Mouse. With its infectious melody and heartfelt lyrics, this track became an anthem for the indie music community. Players will enjoy strumming along to the catchy guitar riffs and embracing the carefree spirit of this indie gem.

Next up is “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers. This folk-inspired indie hit propelled the band to mainstream success with its catchy harmonies and uplifting vibe. With its acoustic-driven sound and sing-along chorus, players will find themselves captivated by the infectious energy of this indie folk-rock favorite.

For those seeking a bit of indie pop, “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand is a perfect choice. This catchy and energetic track showcases the band’s blend of danceable beats and infectious guitar hooks. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the intricate guitar parts and embracing the indie-pop sensibility of this indie favorite.

Another notable indie track in this section is “Reptilia” by The Strokes. This garage rock anthem features Julian Casablancas’ signature crooning vocals and gritty guitar riffs. Players will channel their inner indie rockstar as they tackle the energetic and rebellious spirit of this indie classic.

Rounding out the Indie Favorites section is “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire. This indie rock gem captures the nostalgia and longing for simpler times. It features anthemic choruses and a blend of orchestral and indie rock elements. Players will find themselves immersed in the atmospheric soundscapes and introspective lyrics of this indie favorite.

These are just a few examples of the indie favorites that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. From indie rock to indie pop and folk, this section offers a diverse and exciting lineup that showcases the creativity and innovation of the independent music scene. Get ready to embrace the indie spirit and let the music take you on an indie journey like no other.

The Country Collection

Get your boots on and embrace the twangy tunes of the Country Collection in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section pays homage to the rich heritage and storytelling traditions of country music, offering a mix of classic and contemporary country hits.

One standout country track in this section is “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks. This timeless anthem combines catchy melodies and relatable lyrics that have made it a staple in country music. Players will enjoy strumming along to the acoustic guitar and embracing the down-home spirit of this country classic.

Next up is “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood. This empowering country-pop crossover hit showcases Underwood’s powerhouse vocals and storytelling prowess. With its catchy chorus and sassy attitude, players will embrace the thrill of playing this fiery country favorite.

For those who enjoy a bit of country rock, “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is a perfect choice. This southern rock anthem combines country-infused guitar riffs with a catchy chorus that has made it a country rock staple. Players will enjoy strumming along to the infectious rhythm and feeling like they’re on a journey down South.

Another country gem in this collection is “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. This contemporary folk-country hit embraces the spirit of wanderlust and adventure. With its catchy banjo and fiddle melodies, players will get swept away in the toe-tapping rhythm of this feel-good track.

Rounding out the Country Collection is “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. This classic country song captures the essence of heartbreak and longing with Parton’s heartfelt vocals and timeless lyrics. Players will enjoy strumming along to the acoustic guitar and capturing the emotional depth of this country masterpiece.

These are just a few examples of the country tracks that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic country, country-pop, or country rock, this section offers a taste of the rich storytelling and authentic sound of country music. Get ready to embrace the twang and let the music take you on a journey through the heart of country music.

The Hip Hop Tracks

Step into the world of rhythm and beats with the Hip Hop Tracks section of Guitar Hero World Tour. This section celebrates the influential sounds and cultural impact of hip hop, offering a mix of classic and contemporary tracks that will keep players grooving to the music.

One standout hip hop track in this section is “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G. This iconic track captures the essence of the golden age of hip hop with Biggie’s smooth flow and nostalgic lyrics. Players will enjoy strumming along to the infectious rhythm and embracing the authentic sound of East Coast rap.

Next up is “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. This powerful anthem became a worldwide hit with its intense lyrics and Eminem’s rapid-fire delivery. With its emotional energy and memorable chorus, players will be captivated by the raw talent and passion that Eminem brings to the stage.

For those craving a dose of West Coast flavor, “California Love” by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre is a perfect choice. This iconic track blends G-funk with catchy hooks and embodies the laid-back, sun-soaked vibe of California. Players will enjoy the challenge of capturing the smooth flow and attitude of these hip hop legends.

Another notable hip hop track in this section is “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys. This modern hip hop anthem pays homage to the vibrant city of New York, capturing the hustle and ambition of the Big Apple. Players will enjoy strumming along to the infectious piano melodies and joining in on the empowering chorus.

Rounding out the Hip Hop Tracks section is “Hotline Bling” by Drake. This catchy and infectious track became a cultural phenomenon with its unique sound and Drake’s signature style. Players will enjoy strumming along to the groovy rhythm and embracing the contemporary flavor of this modern hip hop hit.

These are just a few examples of the hip hop tracks that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic East Coast rap, West Coast gangsta rap, or modern hip hop, this section offers a diverse lineup that showcases the artistry and versatility of hip hop. Get ready to embrace the rhythm and let the music take you on a hip hop journey like no other.

The R&B Grooves

Indulge in the smooth and soulful sounds of the R&B Grooves section in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section pays homage to the genre’s rich history and offers a mix of classic and contemporary R&B tracks that will have players swaying, singing, and feeling the groove.

One standout R&B track in this section is “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. This iconic song combines infectious funk rhythms, catchy melodies, and Stevie Wonder’s unmistakable vocals. Players will enjoy strumming along to the rhythmic guitar parts and capturing the essence of this timeless R&B classic.

Next up is “No Diggity” by Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre. This smooth and seductive R&B jam became a massive hit with its slick production, catchy chorus, and infectious rap verses. Players will embrace the laid-back groove and enjoy strumming along to the funky guitar chords that define this R&B favorite.

For those seeking a bit of 90s R&B nostalgia, “Waterfalls” by TLC is a perfect choice. This heartfelt and socially conscious ballad showcases the soulful harmonies and powerful vocals of the legendary girl group. Players will immerse themselves in the emotional depth of the song, capturing the essence of 90s R&B.

Another notable R&B groove in this section is “Adorn” by Miguel. This modern R&B hit combines Miguel’s smooth vocals with a seductive melody and contemporary production. Players will enjoy strumming along to the sensual guitar parts and embracing the sensual and romantic vibe of this R&B gem.

Rounding out the R&B Grooves section is “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z. This high-energy R&B anthem showcases Beyoncé’s powerhouse vocals and infectious energy. Players will feel the groove as they strum along to the energetic guitar parts and channel their inner diva on the virtual stage.

These are just a few examples of the R&B grooves that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic soul, 90s R&B, or modern grooves, this section offers a diverse and engaging lineup that highlights the beauty and versatility of R&B music. Get ready to let the music move you and immerse yourself in the smooth and soulful world of R&B.

The Electronic Beats

Prepare to be transported to the dance floor with the Electronic Beats section of Guitar Hero World Tour. This section celebrates the pulsating rhythms and infectious grooves of electronic music, offering a mix of classic and contemporary tracks that will keep players moving to the beat.

One standout electronic track in this section is “Around the World” by Daft Punk. This iconic track combines repetitive yet addictive melodies with funky beats, capturing the essence of the French house duo’s sound. Players will enjoy strumming along to the infectious rhythm and embracing the electronic vibe of this dancefloor favorite.

Next up is “One More Time” by Daft Punk, another classic electronic hit that has become a staple at clubs and festivals worldwide. With its catchy hooks and uplifting lyrics, this track is sure to get players grooving and feeling the energy of the electronic dance music scene.

For those seeking a mix of electronic and rock, “Kids” by MGMT is a perfect choice. This indie-electronic anthem combines catchy melodies with psychedelic influences, creating a unique and addictive sound. Players will enjoy strumming along to the infectious guitar parts and embracing the electronic-rock fusion of this modern classic.

Another notable electronic beat in this section is “We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris. This club banger became a massive hit with its catchy chorus and pulsating electronic production. Players will feel the energy of the dancefloor as they strum along to the energetic beat and embrace the electronic-pop sound of this chart-topping hit.

Rounding out the Electronic Beats section is “Levels” by Avicii. This high-energy and uplifting track showcases Avicii’s infectious melodies and euphoric sound. Players will find themselves immersed in the pulsating beats and melodic drops of this electronic anthem.

These are just a few examples of the electronic beats that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic house, indie-electronic, or chart-topping EDM, this section offers an exciting and exhilarating lineup that lets players experience the magic of electronic music. Get ready to let the music take control and lose yourself in the electronic beats.

The Acoustic Melodies

Take a moment to unwind and appreciate the beauty of the Acoustic Melodies section in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section offers a peaceful and introspective experience, showcasing the raw talent and delicate melodies of acoustic music.

One standout acoustic track in this section is “Blackbird” by The Beatles. This timeless classic features intricate fingerpicking patterns and heartfelt lyrics. Players will enjoy strumming along to the delicate melodies and capturing the emotional depth of this acoustic masterpiece.

Next up is “Wonderwall” by Oasis. This iconic acoustic anthem became an instant hit with its infectious chorus and sing-along lyrics. Players will embrace the simplicity and beauty of the acoustic guitar melody as they strum along and recreate the magic of this beloved track.

For those seeking a soothing folk sound, “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel is a perfect choice. This poetic and introspective song features intricate guitar picking and Paul Simon’s heartfelt vocals. Players will lose themselves in the melancholic melodies and poetic storytelling of this acoustic gem.

Another notable acoustic melody in this section is “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. This powerful and socially conscious track showcases Chapman’s emotive vocals and intricate guitar playing. Players will embrace the emotional depth and relatable lyrics as they strum along to the heartfelt melodies.

Rounding out the Acoustic Melodies section is “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. This hauntingly beautiful song has become an iconic acoustic ballad, offering a mix of melancholy and hope. Players will feel the emotions and immerse themselves in the gentle strumming and powerful lyrics of this acoustic masterpiece.

These are just a few examples of the acoustic melodies that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of the classics, folk, or emotional ballads, this section offers a peaceful and captivating experience. Get ready to embrace the tranquility of acoustic music and let the melodies soothe your soul.

The Guitar Virtuoso Selection

Prepare to be amazed by the awe-inspiring skills and technical prowess of the Guitar Virtuoso Selection in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section is dedicated to showcasing the talents of legendary guitarists and the intricate guitar work that has left a lasting impact on the world of music.

One standout virtuoso track in this selection is “Eruption” by Van Halen. This instrumental masterpiece features Eddie Van Halen’s mind-boggling guitar solos and innovative techniques. Players will be challenged as they strive to replicate the lightning-fast licks and tapping that define this iconic guitar solo.

Next up is “Cliffs of Dover” by Eric Johnson. Known for its intricate melodies and technical precision, this instrumental track is a testament to Johnson’s exceptional guitar skills. Players will enjoy the challenge of capturing the dynamic phrasing and melodic runs that make this virtuoso piece shine.

For those seeking a taste of progressive rock, “Through the Fire and Flames” by DragonForce is a perfect choice. This blistering track features lightning-fast guitar riffs and intricate harmonies that push the boundaries of speed and accuracy. Players will be put to the test as they attempt to conquer the intense guitar sections in this virtuosic powerhouse.

Another notable virtuoso selection is “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler’s distinctive fingerpicking and tasteful guitar solos have made this track a classic in the guitar virtuoso realm. Players will enjoy strumming along to the intricate guitar parts and capturing the soulful vibe of this iconic masterpiece.

Rounding out the Guitar Virtuoso Selection is “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne featuring Randy Rhoads. Known for his innovative guitar techniques and fiery solos, Rhoads left a lasting legacy in the world of guitar virtuosity. Players will be challenged as they attempt to capture the energy and technicality of this iconic guitar track.

These are just a few examples of the guitar virtuoso tracks that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, progressive rock, or mind-bending guitar solos, this section offers a thrilling and challenging experience that showcases the mastery of legendary guitarists. Get ready to push your own guitar skills to the limit and immerse yourself in the world of virtuosic guitar playing.

The Bass Masterpieces

Get ready to feel the grooves and embrace the low-end power with the Bass Masterpieces section in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section celebrates the often underappreciated art of bass guitar playing, showcasing tracks that highlight the skill and creativity of bassists.

One standout bass masterpiece in this section is “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. Featuring John Deacon’s iconic bassline, this track has become a legendary anthem in the world of bass guitar. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the groove and capturing the funky energy of this timeless classic.

Next up is “Money” by Pink Floyd. Roger Waters’ bassline in this track is instantly recognizable and drives the song with its distinctive rhythm. Players will embrace the smooth and melodic bass playing as they strum along to the iconic bassline that defines this masterpiece.

For those seeking a fusion of rock and funk, “Higher Ground” by Red Hot Chili Peppers is a perfect choice. Flea’s energetic and funky basslines are a highlight of this track and have become signature elements of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ sound. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the intricate bass parts and capturing the infectious groove of this bass-driven masterpiece.

Another notable bass masterpiece is “YYZ” by Rush. Geddy Lee’s virtuosic bass playing is on full display in this instrumental track, showcasing his incredible speed, precision, and technicality. Players will be challenged as they attempt to capture the intricate bass runs and complex rhythmic patterns that define this prog-rock masterpiece.

Rounding out the Bass Masterpieces section is “Hysteria” by Muse. The driving bassline by Chris Wolstenholme sets the foundation for this track and brings a powerful energy to the song. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the rapid-fire bass playing and embracing the intense groove of this anthemic bass masterpiece.

These are just a few examples of the bass masterpieces that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, funk, or progressive rock, this section offers a thrilling and rewarding experience that highlights the artistry and importance of bass guitar playing. Get ready to unleash your inner bassist and feel the power of the low-end as you groove along to these bass masterpieces.

The Drummer’s Anthems

Get ready to unleash your inner rhythm and take your place behind the drum kit with the Drummer’s Anthems section in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section puts the spotlight on the backbone of the band – the drummer – and features tracks that showcase the power, precision, and creativity of drumming.

One standout anthem for drummers in this section is “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. This iconic track is defined by its powerful drum fill and dramatic drum patterns. Players will enjoy the challenge of replicating the iconic drum solo and capturing the intense energy of this drumming masterpiece.

Next up is “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. This grunge anthem features Dave Grohl’s dynamic drumming, characterized by his explosive playing style and infectious rhythms. Players will embrace the raw energy and challenge of capturing the driving force behind this influential alternative rock track.

For those seeking a fusion of rock and funk, “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder is a perfect choice. The infectious drum groove, played by the legendary Ollie E. Brown, sets the foundation for this funk-filled track. Players will enjoy the challenge of capturing the funky beats and syncopated rhythms that make this song a drummer’s delight.

Another notable drumming anthem is “YYZ” by Rush. This instrumental track features Neil Peart’s virtuosic drumming, known for its complex rhythms and intricate patterns. Players will be put to the test as they attempt to replicate Peart’s lightning-fast drum fills and precise drumming that define this progressive rock masterpiece.

Rounding out the Drummer’s Anthems section is “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Lars Ulrich’s powerful and driving drumbeat anchors this heavy metal classic. Players will feel the adrenaline rush as they try to keep up with the relentless double-bass drumming and aggressive drum patterns that make this track a favorite among drummers.

These are just a few examples of the drumming anthems that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of rock, funk, or heavy metal, this section offers a thrilling and challenging experience that showcases the talent and importance of the drummer in a band. Get ready to grab those drumsticks, feel the rhythm, and take center stage as the drummer in these anthems of the drumming world.

The Vocalist’s Showcase

Step into the spotlight and showcase your vocal talents with the Vocalist’s Showcase section in Guitar Hero World Tour. This section is dedicated to the power of the human voice, featuring tracks that highlight the range, emotion, and sheer vocal prowess of talented singers.

One standout showcase for vocalists in this section is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. This iconic track pushes vocalists to their limits with its intricate harmonies, soaring high notes, and dramatic vocal sections. Players will embrace the challenge of capturing the theatricality and range required to deliver the magic of Freddie Mercury’s legendary vocals.

Next up is “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele. This soulful anthem showcases Adele’s powerhouse vocals and emotional delivery. Players will enjoy the opportunity to belt out the powerful chorus and capture the raw intensity that makes this track a standout vocal showcase.

For those who love a bit of rock ‘n’ roll attitude, “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi is a perfect choice. This anthemic track encourages audience participation and gives vocalists a chance to rock out. Players will revel in the opportunity to hit the high notes and engage the crowd with this classic rock vocal showcase.

Another notable vocal showcase is “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. This timeless ballad demands control, range, and emotion from vocalists. Players will embrace the challenge of delivering the powerful and heartfelt notes that defined Whitney Houston’s iconic rendition of this song.

Rounding out the Vocalist’s Showcase section is “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey. This uplifting anthem invites vocalists to sing along and reach for the stars. Players will enjoy the opportunity to channel their inner rockstar and capture the euphoric spirit of this vocal showcase.

These are just a few examples of the vocal showcases that await players in Guitar Hero World Tour. Whether you’re a fan of rock, soul, or powerhouse ballads, this section offers the chance to step into the spotlight and embrace the pure joy of singing. Get ready to unleash your vocal talent, hit those high notes, and transport the audience with your voice in these unforgettable vocal showcases.

Avatar

Related Stories

Guitar Hero: Metallica’ Full Song List

Guitar Hero: Metallica’ Full Song List

Guitar Hero Vs. Real Guitar

Guitar Hero Vs. Real Guitar

Wireless Connection: Guitar Hero Guitar To PC Without Dongle

Wireless Connection: Guitar Hero Guitar To PC Without Dongle

Complete Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock Setlist Revealed

Complete Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock Setlist Revealed

The Beatles: Rock Band Song List

The Beatles: Rock Band Song List

Post Malone | The New King of Hip Hop Music

Post Malone | The New King of Hip Hop Music

Band Hero’s’ Full Song List

Band Hero’s’ Full Song List

Katy Perry | Net Worth, Marriage Planning, Baby Due Date

Katy Perry | Net Worth, Marriage Planning, Baby Due Date

The Future of Shopping: How Virtual Reality Will Transform Online Retail

The Future of Shopping: How Virtual Reality Will Transform Online Retail

From Healing to High Performance: The Versatility of Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers in Sports

From Healing to High Performance: The Versatility of Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers in Sports

Christian Lanng’s AI Vision: Revolutionizing the Workspace with Beyond Work

Christian Lanng’s AI Vision: Revolutionizing the Workspace with Beyond Work

Future Technologies: Why Customizable Web Applications are Leading the IT Industry

Future Technologies: Why Customizable Web Applications are Leading the IT Industry

How to Find Angel Investors

How to Find Angel Investors

Top 100 Christmas Songs for the Best Christmas Music

Top 100 Christmas Songs for the Best Christmas Music

The Life and Career of Dean Haglund: A Journey from Canada to the Paranormal and Beyond

The Life and Career of Dean Haglund: A Journey from Canada to the Paranormal and Beyond

16 Best Ad Blocker For Every Browser and Device

16 Best Ad Blocker For Every Browser and Device

Different Types of Aesthetics: 30 Outfit Ideas to Step Up Your OOTD Game

Different Types of Aesthetics: 30 Outfit Ideas to Step Up Your OOTD Game

Watch Guide: 20 Best Limited Series on Netflix

Watch Guide: 20 Best Limited Series on Netflix

  • Anniston/Gadsden

A rare classic-rock tour where the band's new songs are a big draw too

  • Updated: Mar. 15, 2024, 9:54 a.m. |
  • Published: Mar. 13, 2024, 2:36 p.m.

Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt

Gary Cherone, left, and Nuno Bettencourt of the band Extreme perform onstage in 2015. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP) Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP

Three decades after their breakthrough, Extreme are now in the rare position of a veteran act whose fans are coming to shows psyched to hear new songs.

Checking in mid-tour from an Atlanta hotel room, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt says, “It’s been insane. We’re doing five or six songs off the new album right now in the set, which is unheard of. Mostly, when a band does stuff off a new album, everybody runs for the concessions and toilets. But it’s actually been the highlights of the evening.

“And in the dressing room we talk about this: It reminds us of when ‘Porno’ was breaking back in the day. It’s obviously not in the realm of a hit like ‘More Than Words’ of course, but it’s in the realm of the excitement around it and the freshness.”

In 1990, Extreme’s sophomore album, “Extreme II: Pornograffitti,” took the Boston-founded quartet to the masses. The LP went double-platinum playing to the elastic musicality of frontman Gary Cherone, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, bassist Gary Badger and drummer Paul Geary. Tracks ranged from the slippery hard-rock of “Get The Funk Out” to chart-topping ballad “More Than Words” to acoustic hoedown “Hole Hearted.”

Last year, Extreme released “Six.” Their sixth studio effort, and first in 15 years, was one of the best rock releases of 2023. Cherone, Bettencourt and Badger sounded like they’d been teleported back to their prime, on searing rockers like “Banshee” and tuneful strummers like “Other Side Of The Rainbow.” Extreme’s latter day drummer Kevin Figueiredo nailed it too. (Classic-era drummer Geary left Extreme in the mid ‘90s to become a successful manager of artists including Godsmack.)

In particular, “Rise,” the opening track on “Six,” excited rock fans like few recent tracks have. Bettencourt’s bolero-metal solo on that song is breathtaking and for guitarists, from bedroom musicians to famous string-benders, inspiring. Surprisingly, as accomplished as the “Rise” guitar solo is, it was mostly instinctual.

Bettencourt says, “I’m of the mind that if something is feeling good then it’s meant to happen. When I record if I spend too much time, hours or days on anything, I’m forcing it at this point.

“Cutting a guitar solo, I kind of black out. I’m in there [in the studio] by myself, and I feed off the band and the track and I just go. And if something magical happens, I’m like, oh that was cool. ‘Rise’ was pretty quick and pretty fast. And the day I was recording that solo, Eddie Van Halen turned up at my house. That didn’t hurt.”

A huge musical inspiration for Nuno, Eddie became a friend too. This day, when Van Halen visited Bettencourt’s Los Angeles-area home, he wanted to hear what Bettencourt was working on. Nuno wanted to finish the track first, which Eddie understood. Unfortunately, it was the last time Bettencourt would ever see Van Halen, who died in 2020 after a long fight with cancer.

Recently, Bettencourt, who has his own Washburn N4 signature guitars, had a replica of Van Halen’s black-with-yellow-stripes “Bumblebee” guitar made. Bettencourt’s Bumblebee will appear in a music video Extreme recently shot for “Beautiful Girls,” the world-music-spiced “Six” closing track that shares a title with a ‘79 classic Van Halen cut.

“That was always my favorite looking guitar of his,” Bettencourt says of Eddie’s original Bumblebee. “I used to be obsessed with staring at the ‘Van Halen II’ [album] artwork. It’s just so iconic to me, more than any other of his guitars since.

“And I’d never owned one, so I reached out to one of the only guys that Edward trusted to make his replicas, and he made one for me in the N4 body. It’s just a little tribute.”

Coming up during the late’80/early’90s hard-rock/metal goldrush, stylistically Extreme’s never been an easy band to file away. Their self-titled 1989 debut album featured brash nimble rockers like “Kid Ego” yet closed with “Play With Me,” a mini-epic shapeshifting from classical shredding to rap-rock and back.

By the time of “Pornograffitti,” the band was stirring acoustic guitars into their sound. Bettencourt’s strong harmony vocals became more prominent, too.

“We never did acoustic music for the sake of doing acoustic music,” Bettencourt recalls. “Matter of fact, it was quite the opposite of what we should’ve been doing in ‘89, ‘90 or ‘91, because everything was about these massively produced power-ballads.

“We actually had a big problem with ‘More Than Words’ It went to number-one it just about every country in the world, but nobody wanted to put it out because they were like, ‘What are we gonna do with this right now?” Sitting down and doing harmonies like the Everly Brothers or The Beatles, it just wasn’t happening at all, in no format of radio.”

Everyone across the board, including Extreme’s management and label, Bettencourt says, told the band “More Than Words” wasn’t a single. Let alone a hit. It just wouldn’t work.

“I had to fight tooth-and-nail even to get them to test it in a couple of markets,” Nuno recalls. “But I think we’ve always been that band that’s outside the box, whether we like it or not. Rock ‘n’ roll or metal at the time, we didn’t fit because we had a bit of funk. And then there’s strange songs like ‘More Than Words’ or ‘Hole Hearted’ that were like, ‘What are you guys doing? We can’t figure out where to place you.’

“But I think that’s always worked to our benefit, to always do what we love. If everybody’s running the other way from the burning building, we kind of run into the burning building. It gave us our identity, which is what we learned from [bands like] Queen and Van Halen . Do what you want, and the best songs make the album. The songs dictated it.”

Besides their sonic range, Extreme could also burn it down with the best of them. For example, “Get The Funk Out” sounds like Aerosmith gorging on Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Bettencourt’s guitar solo – greasy, supersonic -- on that track’s an all-timer. And one of many reasons this Portugal-born musician routinely makes notable “greatest guitarists” lists .

“That was a period,” Bettencourt says, “all the older albums especially, before we had Pro Tools and a laptop and all that, I would demo everything up on a four-track [tape recorder]. I would just write a groove on the drums and then I’d record that. Then I’d throw a bass lick down or whatever.

“I always presented every song to the band finished, with all the instrumentation and with a melody. Then, me and Gary would get together and we’d talk about here’s the melody, and Gary would start working on lyrics and then we’d finalize everything together. Every Extreme song was done that way.”

As a singer, songwriter and performer, Cherone’s quite the talent, too. In the late ’90s, he was brought in to front Van Halen after Van Halen parted ways with Sammy Hagar, who in the mid ‘80s replaced classic-era VH throat David Lee Roth.

The Cherone-sung “Van Halen III” album, released during a godforsaken time when teen-pop and rap-rock ruled Earth, wasn’t a rainmaker. But Cherone impressed on tour with his ability to crush both Hagar and Roth tunes on the mic. These days, when not busy with Extreme, Cherone is also frontman for Joe Perry Project, the Aerosmith guitarist’s side hustle.

Bettencourt says, “The reason me and Gary connected in the early, early days is because -- it’s a corny thing – but you finish each other’s sentences. Musically. Melodically. We never really fought over music and things like that. We were both madly into things like Queen, Prince , Aerosmith, and The Who and [Led] Zeppelin.

“There was never a language barrier to writing and recording. And vocally, same thing. If I sang a part or if we did the harmonies, it was never like, ‘Oh, I’m the lead singer.’ Whatever worked naturally was what we were into.”

Extreme is currently touring with another blazing, not easily categorized, still-potent band from the late ‘80s: New York group Living Colour . Complete tour dates can be found at extreme-band.com . The trek hits Mars Music Hall in Huntsville, Alabama 7:30 p.m. tonight .

The pairing’s a throwback to the rock tours Bettencourt would see coming through Boston in his youth before Extreme took off: “Back then, the lineups were ridiculous. The most amazing two, three or four bands together. You look at posters from then now, and all of them became big bands and headliners at some point. We were spoiled.”

Around the time Extreme released “Pornograffitti,” an A&M Records rep asked if Bettencourt, then 21, would be interested in playing guitar on a version of label mate Janet Jackson’s song “Black Cat,” to be released as a single. (Note: He doesn’t appear in the accompanying music video.)

Bettencourt was already a big fan of Jackson’s. Sister of superstar singer Michael Jackson and a former “Good Times” child actor, she’d achieved her own pop stardom with excellent solo albums like “Control” and “Rhythm Nation 1814.”

Bettencourt jumped at the chance to be part of Jackson’s next single. He had to take a day off from Extreme to get it done.

“Two producers that I really admired,” Bettencourt says, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, came down while we were recording, which blew my mind. As if that wasn’t enough, as I was recording it, Janet Jackson walks into the studio and sat like right behind me, in these tight quarters. For a young guitar player like myself, a young artist doing only his second album, it was pretty wild.”

After Eddie Van Halen played a dazzling solo on Michael Jackson’s 1983 number-one hit “Beat It,” it became cool for guitar hotshots to guest on a Jackson’s track. See Billy Idol shredder Steve Stevens’ riffage on MJ’s ‘88 chart-topper “Dirty Diana,” etc. As Bettencourt told me in our 2017 interview for an L.A. Weekly story , “[’Beat It’] changed the game.”

About 20 years after “Black Cat,” Bettencourt teamed with another high-profile female pop/R&B singer. He played lead guitar on Rihanna’s 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 tours. He also contributed to her “Rated R,” “Loud,” “Talk That Talk” and “Anti” albums.

On tour, Bettencourt was given carte blanche to guitar-ify RiRi hits.

“‘Umbrella” was always interesting,” he says, “because we got to do these big power-chords. Every song, she wanted it to be heavy, so that was kind of cool. Some of the early stuff I really love to do, like ‘Shut Up And Drive,’ we could rock-out and punk-rock out. And some of the reggae stuff, like ‘Man Down,’ was fun. There was a track called ‘Skin’ that she used to let me do these solos that were like seven or eight-minutes in the arenas. It was just incredible.”

Last year, Bettencourt reunited with Rihanna to be part of her blockbuster Super Bowl halftime performance.

Whenever he returns to Extreme after collaborating with Rihanna – or, say, recording with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler in Muscle Shoals -- he brings back something new to imbue his music. “When it comes to creativity,” Bettencourt says, “you are what you eat. I’m always learning, man.”

MORE ON MUSIC:

Guns N’ Roses legend Slash’s new tour coming to Alabama

Joe Bonamassa talks new supergroup album, why Eric Clapton still rules

This hall of fame musician is the Forrest Gump of classic rock

How an Alabama singer helped a Mötley Crüe legend make his solo debut

Kenny Wayne Shepherd talks ‘90s hits, writing in Muscle Shoals, Van Halen friendship

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

Olivia Rodrigo Debuts ‘Obsessed’ Video, Plus Lovestruck New ‘So American’ Track, as Deluxe ‘Guts’ Reaches Fans

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

  • Hanseroth Twins Branch Off From Brandi Carlile for a Side Project: ‘We’re Not Out for World Domination — We Just Want to Put Something Beautiful Out There’ (EXCLUSIVE) 1 day ago
  • Olivia Rodrigo Debuts ‘Obsessed’ Video, Plus Lovestruck New ‘So American’ Track, as Deluxe ‘Guts’ Reaches Fans 2 days ago
  • Dave Grohl Debuts a Bro Love Song He Wrote for Josh Homme at L.A. Benefit, With Beck, St. Vincent and Bill Burr Among Guest Stars 2 days ago

guts spilled deluxe edition

Six months after her “ Guts ” album came out, Olivia Rodrigo is offering fans a refresher, with a new video — for the song “Obsessed” — and a previously unheard track, “So American,” drawing eyes and ears to the “ Guts (Spilled) ” deluxe edition.

“So American” will be intriguing to fans as it’s a rarity in the two-album Rodrigo catalog to date: a straight-up love song, as well as a fast-paced banger. Rodrigo seems to be singing the praises of someone not from these United States: “He laughs at all my jokes / And he says I’m so American / …Oh, God, I’m gonna marry him / If he keeps this shit up / … Think I’m in love.”

The Mitch Ryan-directed music video for “Obsessed” finds Rodrigo adrift in a hotel ballrom area full of competitive pageant queens who, the viewer may gather, have dated the same fellow Rodrigo is fixated on. Among the writing on the women’s sashes are such titles as “Miss Thought She Was the One,” “Miss Also Thought She Was the One,” “Miss 2 Summers Ago,” “Miss Mom’s Favorite” and “Miss Still His ‘Closest Friend.’”

Obsession with guys past isn’t synonymous with mopeyness, though, in Rodrigo’s video world, as her straight-faced expression during the verses gives way to guitar shredding and streamers in the more frantic choruses. At the end, still in her black gown, she’s assumed clean-up duties after the party has ended.

The other three bonus tracks that have been transported from limited-edition vinyl to this new streaming deluxe edition are more acoustically oriented — “Girl I’ve Always Been,” “Scared of My Guitar” and “Stranger.” Two of these are more on the mournful side: In “Scared of My Guitar,” she’s wanting to keep a distance from her chosen writing instrument because “I can’t lie to it the same way that I lie to you.” In “Stranger,” she seems to be describing a favorite mistake, singing, “I’ll love you ‘til the end of time” even though “You are the best thing that I’ll keep so far out of my life.” “Girl I’ve Always Been” is a more playful kiss-off, though, one that suggests Rodrigo might have a country record in her. 

Currently, the deluxe “Guts (Spilled)” is a streaming- and download-only digital release. But a 2-LP version pressed on “splatter”-colored vinyl is up for pre-order at her webstore, billed as a limited edition. Rodrigo has had to get in line at the overbooked pressing plants with everybody else, apparently: The listing says the deluxe-edition records won’t ship until July 19.

Previously, the bonus tracks — minus “So American” — had been bundled together on the 7500-copy Record Store Day EP “Guts: The Bonus Tracks.”

More From Our Brands

Watch bruce springsteen play ‘viva las vegas’ and other surprises in sin city , winnie harlow seeks $3.7 million for modern farmhouse-style l.a. estate, mlb’s ohtani betting investigation could encounter legal hurdles, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, foundation recasts the mule for season 3 with game of thrones actor, verify it's you, please log in.

Quantcast

an image, when javascript is unavailable

  • facebook-rs

Mark Knopfler Gathers Every Guitar God for New Animated Video

  • By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

An animated video for Mark Knopfler ‘s all-star charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” – which brought together a stunning lineup of over 60 guitar gods to raise funds for Teen Cancer America and the Teenage Cancer Trust – has been released. It features the final recording of Jeff Beck along with contributions by Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour , Slash, Ronnie Wood, Joan Jett, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Sting.

The song came out a week ago, but it was difficult to discern who was playing what part throughout the ten-minute song. This new video calls out the name of every musician when their parts come up in the track. The vast majority of the musicians play guitar, but Ringo Starr and his son, Who drummer Zack Starkey, are on drums. Roger Daltrey plays harmonica. Sting is on bass.

Candace Owens Is Out at Daily Wire After Months of Railing Against Jewish People

Kendrick lamar declares war — and five other takeaways from ‘we don’t trust you’, cypress hill and the london symphony orchestra are making a classic 'simpsons' bit a reality, kate middleton announces cancer diagnosis in video statement, editor’s picks, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history, every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term.

The new version of the song was largely recorded at West London’s British Grove Studios. “What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and every one for this sterling response,” Knopfler says in a statement. “I really had no idea that it was going to be like this. It hit Guy and I quite early on that we had to extend this piece somehow, to take in the number of people who joined in.”

He continues, “Before I knew where I was, Pete Townshend had come into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp. And that first Pete power chord…man, I tell you — we were in that territory, and it was just fantastic. And it went on from there. Eric [Clapton] came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Then Jeff Beck’s contribution arrived and that was spellbinding. I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches, really. The whole thing was a high point.”

Miami's Ultra Music Festival Cuts Day One Short Due to Severe Weather

  • ultra bummer
  • By Daniel Kreps

Watch Bruce Springsteen Play 'Viva Las Vegas' and Other Surprises in Sin City 

  • Viva Las Vegas

Prince Jukebox Movie Musical in the Works From 'Black Panther' Director

  • let's go crazy

Dylan Gossett's 'Coal' Is a Viral Hit — He Just Played It Live for the First Time With a Band

  • Diamond in the Rough
  • By Josh Crutchmer

Tyla Admits She 'Had No Idea' Who Nancy Pelosi Was When They Took a Pic at Grammys Party

  • Who's She?
  • By Tomás Mier

Most Popular

Over 1,000 jewish creatives and professionals have now denounced jonathan glazer’s 'zone of interest' oscars speech in open letter (exclusive), james marsden, taran killam and stars who signed brian peck letters of support "devastated" drake bell, says dan schneider, rose hanbury just broke her silence on the prince william affair rumors, kobe bryant's parents face backlash after putting championship ring on the auction block, you might also like, box office: ‘ghostbusters: frozen empire’ thaws out $16 million opening day, tyler, the creator celebrates louis vuitton collaboration with pharrell williams, the best yoga blocks to support any practice, according to instructors, adam driver suggests his ‘megalopolis’ character is inspired by coppola: ‘he’s very much francis’, mlb’s ohtani betting investigation could encounter legal hurdles.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

IMAGES

  1. Guitar Hero: World Tour (2008)

    best guitar hero world tour songs

  2. Guitar Hero World Tour

    best guitar hero world tour songs

  3. Guitar Hero World Tour

    best guitar hero world tour songs

  4. 25 of the Best Guitar Hero Songs of All Time!

    best guitar hero world tour songs

  5. Guitar Hero World Tour Soundtrack Music

    best guitar hero world tour songs

  6. Guitar Hero: World Tour Song List (All SONGS). Все песни Guitar Hero: World Tour

    best guitar hero world tour songs

VIDEO

  1. Guitar Hero World Tour

  2. Worlds Best Guitar Hero!!! 1.000.000 Points!!!!

  3. Guitar Hero World Tour Online: Aggro (Full Band)

  4. Worlds Best Guitar Hero!!!

COMMENTS

  1. What Are The Best Songs On Guitar Hero World Tour?

    Guitar Hero World Tour (aka Guitar Hero IV) was released in 2008 and was jam packed with 86 songs. It was the first guitar hero game to have a drum and a microphone; going on to receive very high scores from critics world wide. Here are some of my favourite songs from the game: My Personal 18 Favourite Songs Michael Jackson - Beat It

  2. List of songs in Guitar Hero World Tour

    Guitar Hero World Tour is the fourth major release in the Guitar Hero series of music video games, a series that has sold over 24 million units and earned more than $1.6 billion in retail sales. The game was released in October 2008 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 game consoles in North America, and a month later for PAL regions.

  3. Song List

    Eagles. Swamp Shack Encore (Louisiana) The Joker. Steve Miller Band. Pang Tang Bay (Hong Kong) Kick Out the Jams. MC5's Wayne Kramer. Will Heilm's Keep (England) The Kill.

  4. 'Guitar Hero World Tour' Song List

    When Guitar Hero World Tour, the fourth music video game in the Guitar Hero series, was released in late 2008, it wasn't quite like its predecessors. While this version focused on mimicking its included musical tracks using special game controllers, it also included drums and vocals, as well as a music studio to create your own songs.

  5. Guitar Hero World Tour Soundtrack

    From the easiest to the hardest (I'm going by career, for this one), these are the songs from the game Guitar Hero: World Tour

  6. Guitar Hero World Tour Songs

    The songs from the game GH World Tour. All rights belong to their corresponding labels and Records.

  7. The Complete Guitar Hero World Tour Set List

    The latest installment in the #1 best-selling video game franchise of 2007, Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative ...

  8. Guitar Hero: World Tour Song List (HD)

    SUBSCRIBE!Te-he Got many requests for it with not talking, here it is!

  9. Full Guitar Hero: World Tour set-list

    Activision has finally concreted the list of 86 songs to be available on the Guitar Hero: World Tour disc that launches in October. So hopefully they'll stop sending us 15 press releases a week.

  10. Guitar Hero World Tour Songs

    Playlist • coryh0721 • 2022. 49 tracks • 2+ hours All of the songs for Guitar Hero: World Tour. Shuffle. Add to library. AIRBOURNE - Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast (Official Music Video) The Pit. 3:51. The Kill - Resident Evil 4. Alwayslost09.

  11. Guitar Hero: World Tour

    Guitar Hero: World Tour · Playlist · 230 songs · 1.3K likes

  12. The Songs

    Guitar Hero World Tour has a decidedly more classic influence than RB and RB2, featuring Hendrix, Steely Dan, the Allman Brothers, CCR, Willie Nelson, and other staples.

  13. Guitar Hero World Tour Definitive Edition songs list

    List of songs from Guitar Hero World Tour Definitive Edition

  14. 12 Greatest Guitar Hero Songs Of All Time

    Featured in Guitar Hero World Tour, "Hotel California" is one of the best Guitar Hero songs of all time. The laid-back soft rock song from 1976's Hotel California, The Eagles' fifth studio album, is widely regarded as the band's creative magnum opus - an impressive achievement considering their extensive repertoire of classics and hits.Although "Hotel California" has a long - and at times fast ...

  15. Guitar Hero World Tour Hands-On

    Guitar Hero World Tour Hands-On - Full Set List, Music Studio, and Mii Freestyle - GameSpot. Reviews. Best Computer Speakers For Gaming. Best Gaming Chairs In 2023. Games.

  16. The Ultimate Guide to Guitar Hero Songs

    It offered an array of songs that appealed to a broad audience. Below are some notable songs that were included in Guitar Hero World Tour to give you an idea of the game's musical diversity: "About a Girl" - Nirvana. "American Woman" - The Guess Who. "Are You Gonna Go My Way" - Lenny Kravitz. "Band on the Run" - Wings.

  17. Guitar Hero World Tour/Songs

    Guitar Hero World Tour/Songs. Unlike in previous installments (which had at least some covers), all of the songs featured in Guitar Hero World Tour are master tracks, that is, they are all original recordings of the songs by the original artists. Flo Rida feat. T-Pain.

  18. 25 of the Best Guitar Hero Songs of All Time!

    Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana. Kurt Cobain and company make the top 25 with their emotional Heart-Shaped Box track. Another song that allows the gamer to lose themselves in the lyrics and mild chords. Star power is imminent during the short, yet powerful solo.

  19. Guitar Hero World Tour: The Best, The Worst, and Everything in Between

    Guitar Hero World Tour (GHWT for short), takes it to the next level adding the same compliment of 4 player guitar, bass, drum and vocal action. GHWT is a different game than RB2, though. The ...

  20. GHWT: Definitive Edition

    Take everything from the original Guitar Hero and make it even better, throw in a great setlist on top! That's what Guitar Hero 2 is: with songs like Free Bird, Sweet Child 'o Mine, Hangar 18, Beast and The Harlot, the unforgettable Jordan, or the strumbar-breaking Trogdor, you're sure to have a lot of fun with this setlist!Includes some DLC content!

  21. Guitar Hero: World Tour

    Guitar Hero: World Tour soundtrack was curated by Neversoft, Aspyr, Blizzard Albany, and Budcat Creations.

  22. 30 Best Guitar Hero Songs

    Guitar Hero has included many of the most iconic songs in recorded music history. This list provides you with the 30 best songs from Guitar Hero, from many different eras and styles. 1. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine. Taken from their debut album Appetite for Destruction, Sweet Child o' Mine is one of Guns N' Roses' best-known ...

  23. Guitar Hero World Tour' Song List

    The Classics. The Classics section of Guitar Hero World Tour features timeless hits from the rock and pop genres that have stood the test of time. These songs are beloved by music enthusiasts of all ages and are sure to get players tapping their feet and strumming along. One iconic song in this section is "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin.

  24. A rare classic-rock tour where the band's new songs are a big draw too

    Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt on band's potent latest album and tour, '80s and '90s hits, his work with Rihanna and Janet Jackson.

  25. Get Your Hands On PDP's Pricey $130 Riffmaster Wireless Guitar

    (Of course one of the songs that were not compatible was the only song in the game by my favourite band!) ... Rock Band 2 I would say is up there with Guitar Hero 3 and World Tour for the best ...

  26. Olivia Rodrigo Debuts 'Obsessed' Video and Her New 'So ...

    Six months after her "Guts" album came out, Olivia Rodrigo is offering fans a refresher, with a new video — for the song "Obsessed" — and a previously unheard track, "So American ...

  27. Mark Knopfler Gathers Every Guitar God for New Animated Video

    Mark Knopfler's charity song "Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)" features over 60 guitarists, including Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, and Slash.