Guitar Hero 5 arrived in 2009 with a promise to redefine music game experiences, and a crucial element of its success was undoubtedly its stellar soundtrack. For fans eager to shred on their plastic guitars and drum kits, the reveal of the Guitar Hero 5 tracklist was a moment of pure excitement. After intense speculation and anticipation, the full, albeit initially unconfirmed, list of songs was unveiled, sending waves of enthusiasm through the gaming and music communities. This wasn’t just a collection of songs; it was a carefully curated selection designed to cater to diverse rock tastes and fuel countless hours of gameplay.
The Definitive Guitar Hero 5 Tracklist
The Guitar Hero 5 Soundtrack was a masterclass in musical diversity, spanning decades and genres within rock and beyond. From hard rock anthems to alternative rock staples, the tracklist offered something for every virtual guitarist. Here is the complete list that fueled the Guitar Hero 5 experience:
- 3 Doors Down – “Kryptonite”
- A Perfect Circle – “Judith”
- AFI – “Medicate”
- Arctic Monkeys – “Brianstorm”
- Attack! Attack! UK – “You and Me”
- Band Of Horses – “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands”
- Beastie Boys – “Gratitude”
- Beck – “Gamma Ray”
- Billy Idol – “Dancing with Myself”
- Billy Squier – “Lonely is the Night”
- Blink-182 – “The Rock Show”
- Blur – “Song 2”
- Bob Dylan – “All Along the Watchtower”
- Bon Jovi – “You Give Love A Bad Name”
- Brand New – “Sowing Season”
- Bush – “Comedown”
- Children Of Bodom – “Done With Everything, Die For Nothing”
- Coldplay – “In My Place”
- Darker My Love – “Blue Day”
- Darkest Hour – “Demon(s)”
- David Bowie – “Fame”
- Deep Purple – “Woman From Tokyo (’99 Remix)”
- Dire Straits – “Sultans of Swing”
- Duran Duran – “Hungry Like The Wolf”
- Eagles Of Death Metal – “Wannabe in L.A.”
- Elliott Smith – “L.A.”
- Elton John – “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting”
- Face To Face – “Disconnected”
- Garbage – “Only Happy When It Rains”
- Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
- Gov’t Mule – “Streamline Woman”
- Grand Funk Railroad – “We’re an American Band”
- Iggy Pop – “Lust For Life”
- Iron Maiden – “2 Minutes to Midnight”
- Jeff Beck – “Scatterbrain”
- Jimmy Eat World – “Bleed American”
- John Mellencamp – “Hurts So Good”
- Johnny Cash – “Ring of Fire”
- Kaiser Chiefs – “Never Miss a Beat”
- King Crimson – “21st Century Schizoid Man”
- Kings Of Leon – “Sex on Fire”
- Kiss – “Shout it Out Loud”
- Love and Rockets – “Mirror People”
- Megadeth – “Sweating Bullets”
- Mötley Crüe – “Looks That Kill”
- Muse – “Plug in Baby”
- My Morning Jacket – “One Big Holiday”
- Nirvana – “Lithium”
- Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
- No Doubt – “Ex-Girlfriend”
- Peter Frampton – “Do You Feel Like We Do (Live)”
- Public Enemy Featuring Zakk Wylde – “Bring the Noise 20xx”
- Queen & David Bowie – “Under Pressure”
- Queens Of The Stone Age – “Make it With Chu”
- Rammstein – “Du Hast”
- Rose Hill Drive – “Sneak Out”
- Rush – “The Spirit of Radio (Live, 2008)”
- Santana – “No One To Depend On (Live)”
- Scars On Broadway – “They Say”
- Screaming Trees – “Nearly Lost You”
- Smashing Pumpkins – “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”
- Sonic Youth – “Incinerate”
- Spacehog – “In the Meantime”
- Stevie Wonder – “Superstition”
- Sublime – “What I Got”
- Sunny Day Real Estate – “Seven”
- T. Rex – “20th Century Boy”
- The Bronx – “Six Days a Week”
- The Derek Trucks Band – “Younk Funk”
- The Duke Spirit – “Send a Little Love Token”
- The Killers – “All the Pretty Faces”
- The Police – “So Lonely”
- The Raconteurs – “Steady As She Goes”
- The Rolling Stones – “Sympathy for the Devil”
- The Sword – “Maiden, Mother & Crone”
- The White Stripes – “Blue Orchid”
- Thin Lizzy – “Jailbreak”
- Thrice – “Deadbolt”
- Tom Petty – “Runnin’ Down a Dream”
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “American Girl”
- TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me”
- Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk”
- Weezer – “Why Bother?”
- Wild Cherry – “Play That Funky Music”
- Wolfmother – “Back Round”
Highlights of the Guitar Hero 5 Music Selection
What made the GH5 soundtrack truly special was its eclectic mix. It wasn’t confined to just one genre, offering a journey through rock history and its various subgenres. You had classic rock anthems like “You Give Love A Bad Name” by Bon Jovi and “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones, alongside grunge icons Nirvana with not one, but two tracks: “Lithium” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
The inclusion of artists like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash added a layer of legendary status, while bands like Muse, Kings of Leon, and Arctic Monkeys represented the contemporary rock scene. For metalheads, Iron Maiden and Megadeth provided the necessary shredding fuel. Beyond rock, the soundtrack ventured into funk with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and even hip-hop with Beastie Boys’ “Gratitude,” showcasing the game’s broad appeal.
Furthermore, Guitar Hero 5 introduced playable character avatars of iconic musicians like Matt Bellamy from Muse, the legendary Johnny Cash, grunge icon Kurt Cobain, and the fierce Shirley Manson of Garbage, further immersing players in the rockstar fantasy.
A Soundtrack that Rocked a Generation
The Guitar Hero 5 soundtrack wasn’t just a list of songs; it was a cultural snapshot of rock music across eras. It successfully captured the spirit of rock and roll, offering both nostalgia for seasoned music fans and an exciting introduction for a new generation of players. This carefully selected and diverse tracklist solidified Guitar Hero 5’s place as a standout title in the franchise and a memorable entry in the annals of music gaming history. For anyone looking to revisit the golden age of plastic guitars and drum sets, the Guitar Hero 5 soundtrack remains an essential playlist.
