Guitar Hero Live is a 2015 music video game developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision. It is the first title in the Guitar Hero series since it went on hiatus after 2011, and the first game in the series available for 8th generation video game consoles (PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Xbox One). The game was released worldwide on 20 October 2015 for these systems as well as the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and iOS devices including the Apple TV.
The title is considered a reboot of the series; instead of using a five-button guitar-shaped game controller, the game shipped with a six-button controller, arranged in two rows of three aimed to provide more realistic fingering positions than the five-button controller. The game includes 42 songs on the game's disc, presented in sets using full motion video taken from the first-person perspective of the lead guitarist as the background visuals to create an immersive experience. Guitar Hero Live does not use traditional downloadable content to expand the game and is not backward compatible with previous songs from Guitar Hero games. Instead, the game includes the online Guitar Hero TV (GHTV) mode modeled after music video channels that players can jump in or out of at any time, playing through ongoing songs in a curated fashion. GHTV, through in-game rewards and microtransactions, supports the ability to play any song in the library, perform Premium shows where the newest tracks to GHTV will be found, or even unlock all features for a 24-hour period as part of a Party Pass. Two hundred songs were available at the release of the game, with more added over time, averaging about six brand new songs each week.
FreeStyleGames selected on-disc songs from a wider variety of music genres beyond rock music as to provide challenging guitar tracks for players, while their approach to licensing of songs for GHTV enabled them to attract more musical acts to offer their music. Game reviewers found the on-disc soundtrack to be weak as it focused too much on more recent musical acts, while praising the wider variety across a larger time period that GHTV offered.
Forty-two songs are featured on disc as part of the game's main "GH Live" career mode. Players progress through the career mode by playing one of several continuous sets of three to five songs, with each set presented as part of a concert performance. During a set, the game shows the note highway, the on-screen fretboard which represents the notes the player should play in time to the music, and other gameplay elements. This is shown atop live-action footage taken from the first-person perspective of the lead guitar player of one of several fictional bands, performing on stage and watching the reaction of the crowd and their bandmates. The live-action footage is manipulated by the game to reflect how well the player is performing. Once the player has completed a set, all songs from that set are available in a quickplay mode, allowing the player to perform a single song at a time which they can use to practice the song or attempt to achieve a better score.[1] [2]
In selecting the on-disc songs, FreeStyleGames recognized that engaging guitar tracks are not strictly limited to rock music, and included other genres into the mix.[3] [4] According to designer Jim Norris, their selection process began with identifying songs that would be expected by players to be on a Guitar Hero title, and then determining which of those songs which they could license. Once they had obtained the license, FreeStyleGames would mark up the song for the note highways and determined how much fun these songs would be to play. Finally, they balanced the song selection in the game to give players a combination of songs they know and those they may not recognize but would be enjoyable.[5]
The table below lists the on-disc songs, including the venue and fictional band that are used in the set where the song is included.
| Show/Venue | Band | Artist(s) | Song | Year | Genre | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sounddial: Castle Stage | Broken Tide | "45" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Yearbook Ghosts | "" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Quantum Freqs | "Bangarang (ft. Sirah)" | 2011 | Alternative | ||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Fighthound | "Been Away Too Long" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Quantum Freqs | "Berzerk" | 2013 | Alternative | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Blackout Conspiracy | "Bones Exposed" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "California King Bed" | 2010 | Pop | |||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Quantum Freqs | "Club Foot" | 2004 | Alternative | ||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | "Counting Stars" | 2013 | Pop | |||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | "Demons" | 2012 | Pop | |||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Yearbook Ghosts | "Everybody Talks" | 2011 | Pop | ||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "Girls" | 2013 | Indie | |||
| Sounddial: Castle Stage | Broken Tide | "Gold on the Ceiling" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "Grounds for Divorce" | 2008 | Indie | |||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "Here's to Never Growing Up" | 2013 | Pop | |||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | Portland Cloud Orchestra | "Ho Hey" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | Portland Cloud Orchestra | "I Will Wait" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | Broken Tide | "Keep on Swinging" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Our Pasts Collide | "" | 2005 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Blackout Conspiracy | "King for a Day (ft. Kellin Quinn)" | 2012 | Metal | ||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "Lazaretto" | 2014 | Rock | |||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Vivid Screams | "Lies" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Sounddial: Castle Stage | Broken Tide | "Little Monster" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Our Pasts Collide | "Lived a Lie" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Vivid Screams | "Love Bites (So Do I)" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Fighthound | "Mind Your Manners" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | Portland Cloud Orchestra | "Mountain Sound" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Our Pasts Collide | "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Vivid Screams | "Now" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Roadblock | Fighthound | "Nuclear Family" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | VIP Party | "Paint It Black" | 1966 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | Broken Tide | "R U Mine?" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Yearbook Ghosts | "" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Fire Pit | Blackout Conspiracy | "Shadow Moses" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | Broken Tide | "Sundial" | 2009 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | VIP Party | "Tie Your Mother Down" | 1976 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Castle Stage | Broken Tide | "Tragedy + Time" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Castle Stage | Broken Tide | "Victory Over the Sun" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Block: Strictland Park | "Waking Up in Vegas" | 2008 | Pop | |||
| Rock The Block: The Ledges | Quantum Freqs | "Wastelands" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Sounddial: Barn Stage | "When You Were Young" | 2006 | Rock | |||
| Rock The Block: Cactus Joe's | VIP Party | "Won't Get Fooled Again" | 1971 | Rock |
Forgoing the downloadable content model used in previous Guitar Hero games, Guitar Hero Live adds songs to the game via Guitar Hero TV (GHTV), an online game mode offered free of charge in Guitar Hero Live. Instead of playing the immersive first-person view that the main career mode presents, songs on GHTV are played over the music video or footage of the band playing at a concert. Songs on GHTV are normally offered in a curated rotation, similar to a music video channel, allowing the player to drop in and out, but the player can use collected in-game rewards or use microtransactions to play any available song outside of this rotation.[6] [7] FreeStyleGames found that this approach, in contrast to the traditional downloadable content model, made it easier to secure licensing rights with artists to use their songs,[8] as well as a throwback to the heyday of music video channels like MTV.[9]
Two hundred songs were initially available on GHTV on the game's release on 20 October 2015.[10]
| Artist(s) | Song | Year | Genre | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "A-Punk" | 2008 | Indie | ||
| "According to You" | 2009 | Rock | ||
| "Addicted to Pain" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "All the Small Things" | 1999 | Rock | ||
| "Also Am I" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| "Always with Me, Always with You" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| "American Idiot" | 2004 | Rock | ||
| "American You" | 2015 | Alternative | ||
| "Another is Waiting" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| "Are You Gonna Go My Way" | 1993 | Rock | ||
| "Asleep at the Wheel" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "At Night in Dreams" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Back in the Game" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Before He Cheats" | 2005 | Pop | ||
| "Before I Forget" | 2004 | Metal | ||
| "Best Day of My Life" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Better Than It Ever Could Be" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Bitter Rivals" | 2013 | Alternative | ||
| "Black Me Out" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Black Rain" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| "" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Bohemian Like You" | 2000 | Pop | ||
| "Brainfreeze" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Breaking the Law" | 1980 | Heavy Metal | ||
| "Buddy Holly" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| "Bulls on Parade" | 1996 | Metal | ||
| "California (Cast Iron Soul)" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Can't Let Go" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Chasing the Sun" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| "Cherry Pie" | 1990 | Rock | ||
| "Chop Suey!" | 2001 | Metal | ||
| "City" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| "" | 2004 | Metal | ||
| "Cochise" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| "Coconut Dracula" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Cold Shot" | 1984 | Rock | ||
| "Come On Over" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Come with Me Now" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| "Coming of Age" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Coming of Age" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "Cool Kids" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "Counting Stars" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| "Cowboys from Hell" | 1990 | Metal | ||
| "Cry of Achilles" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "Cult of Personality" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| "Dark Sunglasses" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Deliver Us" | 2011 | Metal | ||
| "Demon Dance" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "Demon to Lean On" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "Diamond Eyes" | 2010 | Metal | ||
| "Disposable Teens" | 2000 | Metal | ||
| "Don't Be Cruel" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| "Don't Give Up" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| "Don't Owe You a Thang" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| "Down with the Sickness" | 2000 | Metal | ||
| "Drive" | 1999 | Rock | ||
| "Edge of a Revolution" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Elevated" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Epic" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| "Everybody Talks" | 2011 | Pop | ||
| "Eyes of a Stranger" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| "Fallen Angels" | 2011 | Metal | ||
| "Famous" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Feed the Mantaray" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "Feel So Close" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "Fell in Love with a Girl" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| "" | 2009 | Metal | ||
| "Finale" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| "Float On" | 2004 | Indie | ||
| Puppy | "Forever" | 2015 | Indie | |
| "Freak on a Leash" | 1998 | Metal | ||
| "Friday Night, Don't Ever Let It End" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| "Ghost Walking" | 2012 | Metal | ||
| "Girl's Not Grey" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| "Girls & Boys" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| "Girls/Girls/Boys" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Going to Hell" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Gold on the Ceiling" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| "Got the Time" | 1990 | Metal | ||
| "Gravedigger" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| "Grounds for Divorce" | 2008 | Indie | ||
| "Guerrilla Radio" | 1999 | Metal | ||
| "Handlebars" | 2007 | Alternative | ||
| "Handwritten" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "Hangar 18" | 1990 | Metal | ||
| "Hanging on the Telephone" | 1978 | Pop | ||
| "Harlem" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Heaven" | 1984 | Rock | ||
| "Hell Yeah" | 2008 | Rock | ||
| "High Road" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| "Higher Ground" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| "Hit Me with Your Best Shot (Live)" | 1983 | Rock | ||
| "Hold Back the River" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| "Hunger Strike" | 1991 | Rock | ||
| "I Fought the Law" | 1979 | Rock | ||
| "I Gotsta Get Paid" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "I Have a Problem" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" | 2008 | Indie | ||
| "I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "I Want It All" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| "I Want You to Know (ft. Selena Gomez)" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| "In Due Time" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "In the End" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "In Too Deep" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| "It Must Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| "It's Real" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| "Kathleen" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| "King of the World" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Lazaretto" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Lazerray" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "" | 2010 | Pop | ||
| "Leave It Alone" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Left Hand Free" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Let Her Go" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "Limelight" | 1981 | Rock | ||
| "Little Games" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Little Talks" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| "Live While We're Young" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "The Looking Glass" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "Louder Than Ever" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| "Love Don't Die" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Love Rears Its Ugly Head" | 1990 | Rock | ||
| "Lust for Life" | 1977 | Rock | ||
| "Medicine" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| "Metal Zone" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Misery" | 1995 | Rock | ||
| "Moaning Lisa Smile" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "Modern Day Cowboy" | 1986 | Rock | ||
| "More Than a Feeling" | 1976 | Rock | ||
| "Move Shake Hide" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "My Own Worst Enemy" | 1999 | Rock | ||
| "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| "Nearly Lost You" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| "New Horizons" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "Nine Lives" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "No Shows" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" | 2006 | Indie | ||
| "" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Oh Love" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| "" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Pedestrian at Best" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| "Red Hands" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| "Remember" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| "Right Back at It Again" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Rimbaud Eyes" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Rise Up (ft. Tom Morello)" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| "Rollercoaster" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Rollin' and Tumblin'" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Round and Round" | 1984 | Rock | ||
| "San Francisco" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "Satellite" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| "Sex on Fire" | 2008 | Rock | ||
| "Shake It Little Tina" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "Shark Attack" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "Sing" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Sirens" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Somebody to You (ft. Demi Lovato)" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Sometimes" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Sometimes She Cries" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| "Sounds Like Balloons" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Spoonman" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| "Stacy's Mom" | 2003 | Pop | ||
| "Still Into You" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| "Stone" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Strife" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Sweet Remain" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Take a Walk" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| "Temper Temper" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| "That Fire" | 2011 | Metal | ||
| "That's My Kind of Night" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| "Thunder Kiss '65" | 1992 | Metal | ||
| "Thunder on the Mountain" | 2006 | Rock | ||
| "Tighten Up" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| "Time to Pretend" | 2007 | Indie | ||
| "Tribute" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| "Try" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "Under Cover of Darkness" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| "Under the Pressure" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Use Me" | 2008 | Rock | ||
| "Valentine's Day" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| "Vultures and Sharks" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| "We Are Done" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| "Weatherman" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| "What Doesn't Kill You" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "Whirring" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| "Who Needs You" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| "Why Am I the One" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| "" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "You Can't Be My Girl" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| "You Know I'm No Good" | 2006 | Pop | ||
| "You Wanna Know" | 2013 | Rock |
New songs have been added to GHTV on a regular weekly basis with approximately six new songs a week since the game's release. While some songs are directly added to the on-demand and curated lineup, several other songs are introduced to GHTV through Premium Shows, typically offering three songs by a single artist or within a musical theme.[11] Some Premium Shows, such as those for Avenged Sevenfold or Fall Out Boy, use songs and footage taken live from the band's current tour.[12]
A player can access a Premium Show either through playing specific songs already in the GHTV catalog or through microtransactions. Completing Premium Shows can earn the player in-game rewards such as a decorative item for their player card or on-screen fretboard. The week after their introduction, these songs are added to the on-demand playlist, and after another week enter into the GHTVs rotation of songs.[11] At the release of Guitar Hero Live, Activision announced plans to add 70 new songs to GHTV before the end of 2015.[13]
Between August 2017 and April 2018, only one song was added to GHTV and on 3 June 2018, Activision confirmed that the servers will be shut down 1 December 2018.
The following table lists songs that have been added to GHTV since launch, including those released through Premium Shows and those directly added to the service.[14]
| Show Name | Artist(s) | Song | Year | Genre | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenged Sevenfold Live at Download Festival | "Shepherd of Fire (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | [15] | |
| Avenged Sevenfold Live at Download Festival | "Nightmare (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | [16] | |
| Avenged Sevenfold Live at Download Festival | "Buried Alive (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | [17] | |
| Indie Rock Blockbusters | "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Blockbusters | "Reptilia" | 2003 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Blockbusters | "All the Rage Back Home" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics | "Eye of the Tiger" | 1982 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics | "Stricken" | 2005 | Metal | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics | "We Are the Champions" | 1977 | Rock | ||
| Black Veil Brides: Alive & Burning | "Heart of Fire (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Black Veil Brides: Alive & Burning | "Fallen Angels (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Black Veil Brides: Alive & Burning | "In the End (Live)" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Legendary Headliners | "Monster" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Legendary Headliners | "Sugar, We're Goin Down" | 2005 | Rock | ||
| Legendary Headliners | "First Date" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Pop Goes GHTV | "Chocolate" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Pop Goes GHTV | "Believer" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Pop Goes GHTV | "Budapest" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Rock Heroes | "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" | 1986 | Rock | ||
| Rock Heroes | "Going Under" | 2003 | Metal | ||
| Rock Heroes | "Seven Nation Army" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| Fresh for 2015 | "Coming Home" | 2015 | Alternative | ||
| Fresh for 2015 | "Trying" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Fresh for 2015 | "Victory Line" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Rival Sons: Live at YouTube Space LA | "Electric Man (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Rival Sons: Live at YouTube Space LA | "Pressure and Time (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Rival Sons: Live at YouTube Space LA | "Keep on Swinging (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Lords of Metal | "Toxicity" | 2001 | Metal | ||
| Lords of Metal | "Tears Don't Fall" | 2006 | Metal | ||
| Lords of Metal | "Painkiller" | 1990 | Metal | ||
| Pop Punk Perfection | "Fat Lip" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk Perfection | "Just Drive" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk Perfection | "Lonely Girl" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Nasty" | 2015 | Alternative | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Centipede" | 2012 | Alternative | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Stache" | 2012 | Alternative | ||
| Face Melting Metal | "Issues" | 2010 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal | "So Others May Live" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal | "Heart of Fire" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| "1000hp" | 2014 | Rock | [18] | ||
| "Addicted to Love" | 1985 | Rock | [19] | ||
| "Can't Kill Us" | 2014 | Alternative | [20] | ||
| "Drop Dead Cynical" | 2014 | Metal | [21] | ||
| "Face to the Floor" | 2011 | Rock | [22] | ||
| "Fly by Night" | 1975 | Rock | [23] | ||
| "Heart and Soul" | 1983 | Rock | [24] | ||
| "Here It Comes Again" | 2014 | Indie | [25] | ||
| "Here We Go" | 2014 | Rock | [26] | ||
| "House of the Rising Sun" | 2013 | Metal | [27] | ||
| "I Can't Drive 55" | 1984 | Rock | [28] | ||
| "I Love You (But I Hate Your Friends)" | 2014 | Indie | [29] | ||
| "If You Can't Hang" | 2011 | Metal | [30] | ||
| "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" | 1991 | Rock | [31] | ||
| "Killing in the Name" | 1992 | Metal | [32] | ||
| "Like a Stone" | 2002 | Rock | [33] | ||
| "Living After Midnight" | 1980 | Metal | [34] | ||
| Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts | "Modzilla" | 2015 | Rock | [35] | |
| "Rise of the Fenix" | 2012 | Rock | [36] | ||
| "Rock Me" | 1987 | Rock | [37] | ||
| "Shake Me" | 1986 | Rock | [38] | ||
| "Shiny Happy People" | 1991 | Rock | [39] | ||
| "Shut Up and Dance" | 2014 | Pop | [40] | ||
| "Sixteen Saltines" | 2012 | Rock | [41] | ||
| "Slumville Sunrise" | 2013 | Indie | [42] | ||
| "Supersoaker" | 2013 | Rock | [43] | ||
| "What About Love" | 1985 | Rock | [44] | ||
| "Your Love" | 1985 | Rock | [45] | ||
| Class of 2015 | "Ban All the Music" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Class of 2015 | "Blinded" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Class of 2015 | "Hot Squash" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Rock the Ages: The 90s | "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| Rock the Ages: The 90s | "Sex and Candy" | 1997 | Rock | ||
| Rock the Ages: The 90s | "Them Bones" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| Country Flavor | "Good Girl" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| Country Flavor | Ashley Clark | "Greyhound" | 2015 | Pop | |
| Country Flavor | "Creepin'" | 2011 | Pop | ||
| 2015 Rocks! | "Broken Generation" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| 2015 Rocks! | "Jekyll and Hyde" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| 2015 Rocks! | "Break the Cycle" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Grizfolk: Live at YouTube Space LA | "The Struggle (Live)" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Grizfolk: Live at YouTube Space LA | "Troublemaker (Live)" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Grizfolk: Live at YouTube Space LA | "Hymnals (Live)" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| System of a Down Premium Show | "Aerials" | 2001 | Metal | ||
| System of a Down Premium Show | "Lonely Day" | 2005 | Metal | ||
| System of a Down Premium Show | "B.Y.O.B." | 2005 | Metal | ||
| Weezer: Live at iHeartRadio Theater & YouTube Space LA | "Undone – The Sweater Song (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Weezer: Live at iHeartRadio Theater & YouTube Space LA | "Thank God for Girls (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Weezer: Live at iHeartRadio Theater & YouTube Space LA | "Say It Ain't So (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| "Fat Bottomed Girls" | 1978 | Rock | |||
| "Hammer to Fall" | 1984 | Rock | |||
| "I Want to Break Free" | 1984 | Rock | |||
| Rock the Halls | "A Great Big Sled (ft. Toni Halliday)" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Rock the Halls | "Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Rock the Halls | "I Am Santa" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Christmas Rocks! | "" | 2011 | Rock | ||
| Christmas Rocks! | "" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| Christmas Rocks! | "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| Party Party Party! | "Party Hard" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Party Party Party! | "Fall Into the Party" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Party Party Party! | "Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| "Be Still (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | |||
| "I Feel Love (Every Million Miles) (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | |||
| "Let Me Through (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | |||
| Return of the Classics | "Working for the Weekend" | 1981 | Rock | ||
| Return of the Classics | "Children of the Night" | 1982 | Rock | ||
| Return of the Classics | "You Better Run" | 1980 | Rock | ||
| "45" | 2012 | Rock | [46] | ||
| "Been Away Too Long" | 2012 | Rock | [47] | ||
| "Girls" | 2013 | Indie | [48] | ||
| "Mountain Sound" | 2012 | Indie | [49] | ||
| "" | 2001 | Rock | [50] | ||
| "Tragedy + Time" | 2014 | Rock | [51] | ||
| "When You Were Young" | 2006 | Rock | [52] | ||
| New Rock Revolution | "English Kids In America" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| New Rock Revolution | "When Are We Waking Up?" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| New Rock Revolution | "Priorities" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| Festival Anthems | "Use Somebody" | 2008 | Rock | ||
| Festival Anthems | "Mr. Brightside" | 2004 | Rock | ||
| Festival Anthems | "Black Chandelier" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| AAA Metal | "Drown" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| AAA Metal | "Deep Six" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| AAA Metal | "Bulls in the Bronx" | 2012 | Metal | ||
| Rock Till You Drop | "Get 'Em Up" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Rock Till You Drop | "Shockwave Supernova" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Rock Till You Drop | "Back to the Shack" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Indie Pop Hits | "Mona Lisa" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Indie Pop Hits | "Run" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Indie Pop Hits | "We Won't Go Home" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Pop Power! | "She Looks So Perfect" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Pop Power! | "Geronimo" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Pop Power! | "You're Not the One" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| Fall Out Boy Live From KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2015 | "Centuries (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Fall Out Boy Live From KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2015 | "Irresistible (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Fall Out Boy Live From KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2015 | "Uma Thurman (Live)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Def Leppard: On Through The Ages | "Dangerous" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Def Leppard: On Through The Ages | "Let's Go" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Def Leppard: On Through The Ages | "Rock of Ages" | 1983 | Rock | ||
| Indie Rock Anthems | "You Only Live Once" | 2006 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Anthems | "Don't Forget Who You Are" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Anthems | "Miss Teen Massachusetts" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Guitar Legends | "Summertime Boy" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Legends | "Crossfire" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Legends | "Freedom at 21" | 2012 | Rock | ||
| London Calling | Only Real | "Can't Get Happy" | 2015 | Indie | |
| London Calling | "Keepsake" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| London Calling | "Cheer Up London" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Shred-a-Thon[53] | "Through the Fire and Flames" | 2006 | Metal | [54] | |
| Ballads of Love | "Arms Around Your Love" | 2007 | Rock | ||
| Ballads of Love | "The Reason" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| Ballads of Love | "Iris" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| Love on the Rocks | "You Give Love a Bad Name" | 1986 | Rock | ||
| Love on the Rocks | "Heartbreaker" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Love on the Rocks | "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| And The Nominees Are... | "Ex's and Oh's" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| And The Nominees Are... | "Lydia" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| And The Nominees Are... | "Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Wolfmother: On The Road to Victory | "Victorious" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Wolfmother: On The Road to Victory | "New Moon Rising" | 2009 | Rock | ||
| Wolfmother: On The Road to Victory | "Love Train" | 2005 | Rock | ||
| Trailblazers: UK Rising | "Cut Me and I'll Bleed" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Trailblazers: UK Rising | "Glass Built Castles" | 2016 | Rock | ||
| Trailblazers: UK Rising | WHITE | "Future Pleasures" | 2015 | Indie | |
| Rock The Ages: 1994 | "The Day I Tried to Live" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Ages: 1994 | "Albatross" | 1994 | Metal | ||
| Rock The Ages: 1994 | "Say It Ain't So" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| Hair Metal Mayhem | "Nothin' but a Good Time" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| Hair Metal Mayhem | "Girls, Girls, Girls" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| Hair Metal Mayhem | "Rip and Tear" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| Back To The Eighties | "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" | 1983 | Rock | ||
| Back To The Eighties | "Rock the Night" | 1985 | Rock | ||
| Back To The Eighties | "Kiss Me Deadly" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| Stadium Rock Anthems | "Livin' on a Prayer" | 1986 | Rock | ||
| Stadium Rock Anthems | "Pour Some Sugar on Me" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| Stadium Rock Anthems | "Crazy Crazy Nights" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Ages: 2003 | "Megalomaniac" | 2004 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Ages: 2003 | "Send the Pain Below" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| Rock The Ages: 2003 | "mOBSCENE" | 2003 | Metal | ||
| Women That Rock | "Birth in Reverse" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Women That Rock | "Gonna Make My Own Money" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Women That Rock | "Apocalyptic" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Best Of Austin | Puppy | "" | 2015 | Indie | |
| Best Of Austin | "Purple Rage" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Best Of Austin | "What Are You Afraid Of?" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| St. Patrick's Day Party | "Drunken Lullabies" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| St. Patrick's Day Party | "What You Know" | 2010 | Indie | ||
| St. Patrick's Day Party | "Burn Baby Burn" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Austin Rocks! | "Rubberband" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Austin Rocks! | "Most Space" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Austin Rocks! | Lyger | "Stroke" | 2014 | Indie | |
| Rock vs. Hip Hop | "Erase Me" (ft. Kanye West) | 2010 | Rock | ||
| Rock vs. Hip Hop | "Villain (ft. ASAP Ferg)" | 2014 | Alternative | ||
| Rock vs. Hip Hop | "Let It Rock" (ft. Lil Wayne) | 2008 | Rock | ||
| Punk Rock Connection | "The '59 Sound" | 2008 | Rock | ||
| Punk Rock Connection | "Go Down In History" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Punk Rock Connection | "Brandenburg Gate (ft. Tim Armstrong)" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Blacklisted | "Goodbye Agony" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Blacklisted | "Walking Dead Man" | 2011 | Metal | ||
| Blacklisted | "Me and Mary Jane" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Back To The 90s | "Man in the Box" | 1990 | Rock | ||
| Back To The 90s | "Low" | 1993 | Rock | ||
| Back To The 90s | "Sleep Now in the Fire" | 1999 | Rock | ||
| Everybody Wants The Struts | "Could Have Been Me" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Everybody Wants The Struts | "Kiss This" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Everybody Wants The Struts | "Put Your Money On Me" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk 2002 | "Still Waiting" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk 2002 | "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk 2002 | "Flavor of the Weak" | 2001 | Rock | ||
| Indio Rocks | "Love Me" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Indio Rocks | "Giant Peach" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Indio Rocks | "Delete" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Desert Rising | "Electric Love" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Desert Rising | "Empire" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Desert Rising | "Ruby Soho" | 1995 | Indie | ||
| Face Melting Metal 2 | "Identity" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 2 | "Raising Hell" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 2 | "War Eternal" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Festival Headliners | "Because We Can" | 2013 | Rock | ||
| Festival Headliners | "Radioactive" | 2010 | Rock | ||
| Festival Headliners | "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" | 1982 | Metal | ||
| The New Cool | "Never Run Away" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| The New Cool | "Rose of Sharon" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| The New Cool | "Violent Shiver" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Brit Icons: Manic Street Preachers | "Motorcycle Emptiness" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| Brit Icons: Manic Street Preachers | "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| Brit Icons: Manic Street Preachers | "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (ft. Nina Persson)" | 2007 | Rock | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Sling the Decks" | 2014 | Alternative | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Another Day (ft. Popeska)" | 2013 | Alternative | ||
| Dance Meets Rock | "Witchcraft" | 2010 | Alternative | ||
| Hard Rock Heroes | "Dog on a Leash" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Hard Rock Heroes | "Face Everything and Rise" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| Hard Rock Heroes | "Do Me a Favor" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Magic Of The Movies | "Blaze of Glory" | 1990 | Rock | ||
| Magic Of The Movies | "Don't You (Forget About Me)" | 1985 | Pop | ||
| Magic Of The Movies | "Jessie's Girl" | 1981 | Rock | ||
| Bar Classics | "Closing Time" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| Bar Classics | "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| Bar Classics | "Two Princes" | 1991 | Rock | ||
| Dad Loves Rock | "Rock and Roll All Nite" | 1975 | Rock | ||
| Dad Loves Rock | "Take Me Away" | 1983 | Rock | ||
| Dad Loves Rock | "Since You Been Gone" | 1979 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk Invasion | "My Friends Over You" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk Invasion | "The River (ft. M. Shadows and Synyster Gates)" | 2007 | Rock | ||
| Pop Punk Invasion | "Go Go Go" | 2015 | Rock | ||
| Metal Hits The Road | "Bloodline" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Metal Hits The Road | "Reincarnate" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Metal Hits The Road | "Hooligans" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Indie Fest Special | "Taken for a Fool" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| Indie Fest Special | "Pretty Pimpin'" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| Indie Fest Special | "Carried Away" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| Summer Tunes | "Sunshine of Your Youth" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| Summer Tunes | "Until the Sun Explodes" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Summer Tunes | "Anna Sun" | 2012 | Pop | ||
| Classic Rock Fest | "If You Want My Love" | 1982 | Rock | ||
| Classic Rock Fest | "Five Foot One" | 1979 | Rock | ||
| Classic Rock Fest | "Just Because" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 1 | "Dammit" | 1997 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 1 | "Santeria" | 1996 | Indie | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 1 | "Unsung" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 2 | "Kryptonite" | 2000 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 2 | "No Excuses" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| Guitar Hero Classics Volume 2 | "Ocean Breathes Salty" | 2004 | Indie | ||
| Rock The School Bus | "Saint Joe on the School Bus" | 1997 | Rock | ||
| Rock The School Bus | "Sweater Weather" | 2013 | Indie | ||
| Rock The School Bus | "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| Summer Rock Fest | "Taste It" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| Summer Rock Fest | "Dimension" | 2005 | Rock | ||
| Summer Rock Fest | "Your Rules" | 2003 | Rock | ||
| Indie Rock Special: Young The Giant | "It's About Time" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Special: Young The Giant | "Something to Believe In" | 2016 | Indie | ||
| Indie Rock Special: Young The Giant | "Silvertongue" | 2016 | Indie | ||
| After School Special | "Underclass Hero" | 2007 | Rock | ||
| After School Special | "Pumped Up Kicks" | 2011 | Indie | ||
| After School Special | "Girlschool" | 1988 | Rock | ||
| Face Melting Metal 3 | "Your Betrayal" | 2010 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 3 | "" | 2000 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 3 | "My Apocalypse" | 2005 | Metal | ||
| Women In Rock | "Down the Wrong Way" | 2014 | Rock | ||
| Women In Rock | "Volcano Girls" | 1997 | Rock | ||
| Women In Rock | "Heavy Cross" | 2009 | Rock | ||
| Go Glam! | "Down Boys" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| Go Glam! | "The Way It Is" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| Go Glam! | "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" | 1989 | Rock | ||
| Country Rock Showdown | "Something in the Water" | 2014 | Pop | ||
| Country Rock Showdown | "Let's Ride" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| Country Rock Showdown | "Hey Girl" | 2013 | Pop | ||
| 80s Rock Classics | "Somebody Save Me" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| 80s Rock Classics | "Turn Up the Radio" | 1984 | Rock | ||
| 80s Rock Classics | "Hands and Knees" | 1987 | Rock | ||
| 90s Rock Classics | "Stay (Wasting Time)" | 1998 | Rock | ||
| 90s Rock Classics | "No Rain" | 1992 | Rock | ||
| 90s Rock Classics | "Losing My Religion" | 1991 | Rock | ||
| Forever Classic Rock | "We Built This City" | 1985 | Rock | [55] | |
| Forever Classic Rock | "Tom Sawyer" | 1981 | Rock | [56] | |
| Forever Classic Rock | "Carry On Wayward Son" | 1976 | Rock | [57] | |
| 90s Rock Pioneers | "Type" | 1990 | Rock | [58] | |
| 90s Rock Pioneers | "Duality" | 2004 | Metal | [59] | |
| 90s Rock Pioneers | "Summer Song" | 1992 | Rock | [60] | |
| Rock From Across The Pond | "Barbarian" | 2015 | Rock | [61] | |
| Rock From Across The Pond | "Why Don't You?" | 2014 | Rock | [62] | |
| Rock From Across The Pond | "Rabbits Foot" | 2015 | Rock | [63] | |
| Alt Rock Bests | "Movies" | 2001 | Rock | [64] | |
| Alt Rock Bests | "In the Dark" | 2016 | Rock | [65] | |
| Alt Rock Bests | "Money Power Fame" | 2015 | Rock | [66] | |
| 00's Rock Classics | "Somebody Told Me" | 2004 | Rock | ||
| 00's Rock Classics | "I Am Mine" | 2002 | Rock | ||
| 00's Rock Classics | "Move Along" | 2005 | Rock | ||
| 'Til Death Do Us Rock | "Dance of the Dead" | 1991 | Metal | ||
| 'Til Death Do Us Rock | "Brainwashed" | 2015 | Metal | ||
| 'Til Death Do Us Rock | "Black Hole Sun" | 1994 | Rock | ||
| LA Rocks | "TV" | 2015 | Indie | ||
| LA Rocks | "I'm Good" | 2015 | Pop | ||
| LA Rocks | "After Midnight" | 2014 | Indie | ||
| New Rock Heroes | DAVIS | "Two Cents" | 2016 | Indie | |
| New Rock Heroes | "Two Fingers" | 2012 | Indie | ||
| New Rock Heroes | "Take It From Me"[67] | 2016 | Indie | [68] | |
| Face Melting Metal 4 | "The Lines" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 4 | "Rusted Nail" | 2014 | Metal | ||
| Face Melting Metal 4 | "Through Blood and Dirt and Bone" | 2013 | Metal | ||
| Ultimate Tour Line Up | "Bones" | 2012 | Rock | ||
Reviewers considered the on-disc soundtrack for Guitar Hero Live weak. Griffin McElroy of Polygon found it the "biggest disappointment" of the game given the setlist had mostly songs from 2000 or later, forgoing classic rock songs.[69] GameSpots Scott Buttersworth stated that many of the on-disc selections are pop songs that "just aren't cut out for Guitar Hero gameplay", as they feature the same repeating guitar riff over and over.[70] Ben Griffin of GamesRadar was more favorable of the on-disc set list, finding that the tracks represented "the music landscape as it is rather than as it was".[71] Chris Carter of Destructoid also appreciated the soundtrack, calling it a "good spread" of songs that can appeal to everyone.[72]
The GHTV mode earned mixed opinions, with most reviewers praising the concept. The presentation of the channels was highlighted as hearkening to the heyday of MTV, and praised for providing players with the ability to explore new music. The selection of songs for GHTV was considered very diverse, and some reviewers found the GHTV songlist to be better varied than the on-disc list, providing songs from "six-string classic" bands that work well for games like Guitar Hero.[70] [73] [74] Criticism was raised on the use of microtransactions and premium shows, disallowing players to play specific tracks at any time without cost.[69] [71] [70] [72]