The original Guitar Hero game launched a cultural phenomenon, bringing the thrill of rock stardom into living rooms worldwide. For many, the Guitar Hero 1 song list was their first taste of virtual guitar shredding, introducing them to iconic rock anthems and challenging gameplay. Let’s dive into the tracklist that started it all, and also explore the expanded setlists of Guitar Hero 2 and 3, which solidified the series’ legendary status.
Guitar Hero 1: Setlist Breakdown
Guitar Hero 1 featured a tiered song progression, challenging players to conquer each setlist to unlock new tracks and venues. Here’s the complete song list, organized by tier, that defined the first Guitar Hero experience:
1. Opening Licks
- “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- “I Wanna Be Sedated” – The Ramones
- “Thunder Kiss ‘65” – White Zombie
- “Smoke on the Water” – Deep Purple
- “Infected” – Bad Religion
2. Axe-Grinders
- “Iron Man” – Black Sabbath
- “More Than a Feeling” – Boston
- “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” – Judas Priest
- “Take Me Out” – Franz Ferdinand
- “Sharp Dressed Man” – ZZ Top
3. Thrash and Burn
- “Killer Queen” – Queen
- “Hey You” – The Exies
- “Stellar” – Incubus
- “Heart Full of Black” – Burning Brides
- “Symphony of Destruction” – Megadeth
4. Return of the Shred
- “Ziggy Stardust” – David Bowie
- “Fat Lip” – Sum 41
- “Cochise” – Audioslave
- “Take It Off” – The Donnas
- “Unsung” – Helmet
5. Fret-Burners
- “Spanish Castle Magic” – Jimi Hendrix
- “Higher Ground” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
- “No One Knows” – Queens of the Stone Age
- “Ace of Spades” – Motörhead
- “Crossroads” – Cream
6. Face-Melters
- “Godzilla” – Blue Öyster Cult
- “Texas Flood” – Stevie Ray Vaughan
- “Frankenstein” – The Edgar Winter Group
- “Cowboys From Hell” – Pantera
- “Bark at the Moon” – Ozzy Osbourne
Guitar Hero 2: Expanding the Setlist
Guitar Hero 2 built upon the success of its predecessor, offering an even more extensive and diverse tracklist. The sequel maintained the tiered structure, presenting players with new challenges and iconic songs to master.
Opening Licks
- “Surrender” – Cheap Trick
- “Mother” – Danzig
- “Shout at the Devil” – Mötley Crüe
- “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” – Spinal Tap
Amp-Warmers
- “Carry on Wayward Son” – Kansas
- “Strutter” – Kiss
- “Heart-Shaped Box” – Nirvana
- “Message in a Bottle” – The Police
- “You Really Got Me” – Van Halen
String-Snappers
- “Them Bones” – Alice in Chains
- “War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
- “Monkey Wrench” – Foo Fighters
- “Search and Destroy” – Iggy Pop and The Stooges
- “Tattooed Love Boys” – The Pretenders
Thrash and Burn
- “Who Was in My Room Last Night” – Butthole Surfers
- “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
- “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin'” – The Rolling Stones
- “Girlfriend” – Matthew Sweet
- “Cherry Pie” – Warrant
Return of the Shred
- “Last Child” – Aerosmith
- “John the Fisherman” – Primus
- “Killing in the Name Of” – Rage Against the Machine
- “Freya” – Sword
- “Bad Reputation” – Thin Lizzy
Relentless Riffs
- “Jessica” – The Allman Brothers Band
- “Crazy on You” – Heart
- “Stop!” – Jane’s Addiction
- “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart” – Stone Temple Pilots
- “Rock This Town” – Stray Cats
Furious Fretwork
- “Madhouse” – Anthrax
- “Laid to Rest” – Lamb of God
- “Carry Me Home” – The Living End
- “Psychobilly Freakout” – Reverend Horton Heat
- “YYZ” – Rush
Face-Melters
- “Beast and the Harlot” – Avenged Sevenfold
- “Misirlou” – Dick Dale
- “Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- “Hangar 18” – Megadeth
- “Institutionalized” – Suicidal Tendencies
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock – The Biggest Tracklist Yet
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock took the franchise to new heights with an even larger song selection and the introduction of boss battles. This installment is often considered a fan favorite, boasting a diverse and challenging setlist.
Tier 1: Starting Out Small
- “Slow Ride” (as made famous by Foghat)
- “Talk Dirty to Me” (by Poison)
- “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” (as made famous by Pat Benetar)
- “Story of My Life” (as made famous by Social Distortion)
- Encore: “Rock and Roll All Nite” (as made famous by Kiss)
- Co-op Encore: “Sabotage” (by Beastie Boys)
Tier 2: Your First Real Gig
- “Mississippi Queen” (as made famous by Mountain)
- “School’s Out” (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
- “Sunshine of Your Love” (as made famous by Cream)
- “Barracuda” (as made famous by Heart)
- Boss: Tom Morello’s Original Boss Battle Recording
- Encore: “Bulls on Parade” (by Rage Against The Machine)
- Co-op Encore: “Reptillia” (by The Strokes)
Tier 3: Making The Video
- “When You Were Young” (by The Killers)
- “Miss Murder” (by AFI)
- “The Seeker” (as made famous by The Who)
- “Lay Down” (by Priestess)
- Encore: “Paint It Black” (by The Rolling Stones)
- Co-op Encore: “Suck My Kiss” (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Tier 4: European Invasion
- “Paranoid” (as made famous by Black Sabbath)
- “Anarchy in the U.K.” (by The Sex Pistols)
- “Kool Thing” (by Sonic Youth)
- “My Name is Jonas” (by Weezer)
- Encore: “Even Flow” (by Pearl Jam)
- Co-op Encore: “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” (as made famous by Blue Öyster Cult)
Tier 5: Bighouse Blues
- “Holiday in Cambodia” (as made famous by Dead Kennedys)
- “Rock You Like a Hurricane” (as made famous by Scorpions)
- “Same Old Song and Dance” (as made famous by Aerosmith)
- “La Grange” (as made famous by ZZ Top)
- Boss: Slash’s Original Boss Battle Recording
- Encore: “Welcome to The Jungle” (by Guns N’ Roses)
- Co-op Encore: “Helicopter” (by Bloc Party)
Tier 6: The Hottest Band On Earth
- “Black Magic Woman” (as made famous by Santana)
- “Cherub Rock” (by Smashing Pumpkins)
- “Black Sunshine” (as made famous by White Zombie)
- “The Metal” (by Tenacious D)
- Encore: “Pride and Joy” (as made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughan)
- Co-op Encore: “Monsters” (by Matchbook Romance)
Tier 7: Live In Japan
- “Before I Forget” (by Slipknot)
- “Stricken” (by Disturbed)
- “3’s and 7’s” (by Queens of the Stone Age)
- “Knights of Cydonia” (by Muse)
- Encore: “Cult of Personality” (by Living Colour, Re-recorded)
Tier 8: Battle For Your Soul
- “Raining Blood” (by Slayer)
- “Cliffs of Dover” (as made famous by Eric Johnson)
- “Number of the Beast” (by Iron Maiden)
- “One” (by Metallica)
- Boss: Lou (The Devil) Boss Battle Recording
- Encore: “Devil Went Down to Georgia” (as made famous by Charlie Daniels Band, Steve Oumiette rendition)
These song lists represent a significant era in music gaming, packed with rock and metal classics that continue to resonate with players today. Whether you’re revisiting these games for nostalgic fun or discovering them for the first time, the Guitar Hero 1, 2, and 3 soundtracks offer a fantastic journey through the world of rock music.
