Home Gaming Guitar Hero Live vs Rock Band 4: Which has a better track list?

Guitar Hero Live vs Rock Band 4: Which has a better track list?

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battleofthebands

This year, it’s time to party like it’s 2008! Both Rock Band and Guitar Hero are back, bringing the music rhythm game genre back to life after years of dormancy. They’re going about it a little differently.

Harmonix is doing their game like its’s a traditional sequel, adding a 4 on the end and releasing a new game on a new generation of hardware that’s functionally the same as previous games. It’s bringing an expanded set list, the ability to import your previous DLC libraries and even use your old instruments, provided they’re from within the same console families. It likely makes Rock Band 4 the easier, and cheaper one to jump back in to.

A music game is only as good as the music you’ll be able to play within it though. Harmonix has revealed the full list of tracks on the disc that you’ll be able to play. Take a look:

  • .38 Special – Caught Up in You
  • 4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?
  • Aerosmith – Toys in the Attic
  • Arctic Monkeys – Arabella
  • Avenged Sevenfold – Hail to the King
  • Benjamin Booker – Violent Shiver
  • The Black Keys – Fever
  • The Both – Milwaukee
  • Brad Paisley ft. Keith Urban – Start a Band
  • Brandie Carlile – Mainstream Kid
  • Cake – Short Skirt/Long Jacket
  • The Cure – Friday, I’m in Love
  • Dark Wheels – V-Bomb
  • Disturbed – Prayer
  • Dream Theater – Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle and The Sleeper
  • Duck & Cover – Knock ‘Em Down
  • Eddie Japan – Albert
  • Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds
  • Fall Out Boy – Centuries
  • Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun
  • Foo Fighters – The Feast and the Famine
  • Gary Clark Jr. – Ain’t Messin ‘Round
  • Gin Blossoms – Follow You Down
  • Grouplove – Tongue Tied
  • Halestorm – I Miss the Misery
  • Heart – Kick It Out
  • Heaven’s Basement – I Am Electric
  • Imagine Dragons – I Bet My Life
  • Jack White – Lazaretto
  • Jeff Allen – Recession
  • Johnny Blazes and the Pretty Boys – Cold Clear Light
  • Judas Priest – Halls of Valhalla
  • The Killers – Somebody Told Me
  • Lightning Bolt – Dream Genie
  • Little Big Town – Little White Church
  • Live – All Over You
  • Lucius – Turn It Around
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd – That Smell
  • Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
  • The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Impression That I Get
  • Mumford & Sons – The Wolf
  • The Outfield – Your Love
  • Ozzy Osbourne – Miracle Man
  • Paramore – Still Into You
  • The Protomen – Light Up the Night
  • Queens of the Stone Age – My God is the Sun
  • R.E.M. – The One I Love
  • Rick Derringer – Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo
  • Rush – A Passage to Bangkok
  • Scandal – The Warrior
  • Scorpions – No One Like You
  • Slydigs – Light the Fuse
  • Soul Remnants – Dead Black (Heart of Ice)
  • Soundgarden – Superunknown
  • Spin Doctors – Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong
  • St. Vincent – Birth in Reverse
  • System of a Down – Spiders
  • Tijuana Sweetheart – Pistol Whipped
  • Van Halen – Panama
  • Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
  • The Warning – Free Falling
  • White Denim – At Night in Dreams
  • The Who – The Seeker

While there are a few songs I’d love to power through on my fake plastic instruments, it is, for the most part, a little on the dull side. Thankfully there’s that option to import DLC then, right?

Guitar Hero is doing things differently; simultaneously going back to its roots, and trying to move the genre forward. IT’s a guitar only game, taking away that whole band element, but the guitar has evolved, with two rows of three buttons instead of five of them in a row. It allows for the use of real or real-ish chord shapes, and takes a fair bit of getting used to if you’re used to the old way of doing things. It eschews the cartoon-like aesthetic of games past, opting instead for fully recorded live action, FMV. Because it’s essentially starting from fresh, it gets to make a better selection of songs on the disc, I think. Here’s that setlist (so far).

  • 36 Crazyfists – “Also Am I”
  • A Day to Remember – “Right Back At It Again”
  • Alice in Chains – “Stone”
  • Alt-J – “Left Hand Free”
  • Alter Bridge – “Cry of Achilles”
  • American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
  • Angus & Julia Stone – “A Heartbreak”
  • Anthrax – “Got the Time”
  • Architects – “Grave Digger”
  • Asking Alexandria – “The Final Episode”
  • Avenged Sevenfold – “Buried Alive”
  • Avenged Sevenfold – “Nightmare”
  • Avenged Sevenfold – “Shepherd of Fire”
  • The Avett Brothers – “Another is Waiting”
  • Band of Skulls – “Asleep at the Wheel”
  • Beartooth – “I Have A Problem”
  • Biffy Clyro – “Sounds Like Balloons”
  • The Black Keys – “Gold on the Ceiling”
  • Black Veil Brides – “In the End”
  • Blitz Kids – “Sometimes”
  • Blink 182 – “The Rock Show”
  • Bob Dylan – “Thunder on the Mountain”
  • Boston – “More Than A Feeling”
  • Bring Me The Horizon – “Shadow Moses”
  • Broken Bells – “Leave It Alone”
  • Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
  • Bullet For My Valentine – “Temper Temper”
  • Calvin Harris – “Feel So Close”
  • Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats”
  • Catfish and the Bottlemen – “Kathleen”
  • Charlie XCX – “Famous”
  • Chevelle – “The Clincher”
  • Courtney Barnett – “Pedestrian at Best”
  • Cypress Hill feat. Tom Morello – “Rise Up”
  • Deap Vally – “Lies”
  • Deftones – “Diamond Eyes”
  • Disturbed – “Down with the Sickness”
  • Dream Theater – “The Looking Glass”
  • Dum Dum Girls – “Rimbaud Eyes”
  • Echosmith – “Cool Kids”
  • Ed Sheeran – “Sing”
  • Fall Out Boy – “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)”
  • Foster the People – “Coming of Age”
  • Gary Clark Jr. – “Don’t Owe You a Thang”
  • Gerard Way – “No Shows”
  • Green Day – “American Idiot”
  • Green Day – “Nuclear Family”
  • Haim – “The Wire”
  • Halestorm – “Love Bites (So Do I)”
  • Iggy Pop – “Lust for Life”
  • In Flames – “Deliver Us”
  • Jake Bugg – “What Doesn’t Kill You”
  • James Bay – “Hold Back The River”
  • Jet – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”
  • Judas Priest – “Breaking the Law”
  • Kasabian – “Club Foot”
  • The Killers – “When You Were Young”
  • Killswitch Engage – “In Due Time”
  • Kings of Leon – “Sex on Fire”
  • Kongos – “Come With Me Now”
  • Korn – “Freak on a Leash”
  • Lamb of God – “Ghost Walking”
  • The Lumineers – “Ho Hey”
  • Marilyn Manson – “Disposable Teens”
  • Marmozets – “Move Shake Hide”
  • Mastodon – “High Road”
  • Megadeth – “Hangar 18”
  • MGMT – “Time to Pretend”
  • The Mowgli’s – “San Francisco”
  • My Chemical Romance – “Na Na Na”
  • Neon Trees – “Everybody Talks”
  • New Politics – “Harlem”
  • Of Mice And Men – “Bones Exposed”
  • OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
  • Orianthi – “Accroding to You”
  • Panic! At the Disco – “Girls Girls Boys”
  • Pantera – “Cowboys from Hell”
  • Paramore – “Now”
  • Paramore – “Still Into You”
  • Passenger – “Let Her Go”
  • Passion Pit – “Take a Walk”
  • Pearl Jam – “Mind Your Manners”
  • Pearl Jam – “Sirens”
  • Pierce the Veil – “King for a Day (feat Kellin Quinn)”
  • The Pretty Reckless – “Going to Hell”
  • Queen – “Tie Your Mother Down”
  • Rage Against the Machine – “Bulls on Parade”
  • Rage Against the Machine – “Guerrilla Radio”
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground”
  • Rise Against – “Tragedy + Time”
  • The Rolling Stones – “Paint It, Black”
  • Royal Blood – “Come On Over”
  • Royal Blood – “Little Monster”
  • Rush – “Limelight”
  • Skrillex – “Bangarang”
  • Sleigh Bells  – “Bitter Rivals”
  • Soundgarden – “Been Away Too Long”
  • The Strokes – “Under Cover of Darkness”
  • Surfer Blood – “Demon Dance”
  • Tenacious D – “Tribute”
  • Tonight Alive – “The Ocean”
  • Trivium – “Strife”
  • TV On The Radio – “Lazerray”
  • The Vines – “Metal Zone”
  • Vista Chino – “Sweet Remain”
  • Wavves – “Demon to Lean On”
  • The War on Drugs – “Under the Pressure”
  • Weezer – “Buddy Holly”
  • White Zombie – “Thunder Kiss ’65”
  • Wolf Alice – “Moaning Lisa Smile”
  • Wolfmother – “Sundial”
  • You Me At Six – “Lived a Lie”
  • ZZ Top – “I Gotsta Get Paid”

Skrillex aside, there are a great many more songs in Guitar Hero’s set list that I’d rather play. Truth is though, that I’d really miss the “band experience” that Rockband offers – making the choice between which to get this year rather difficult. Guitar Hero Live’s TV mode also offers curated playlists based on your own musical tastes, making the decision even harder.

And then of course there’s Rocksmith, for those who’d prefer to learn to play a real guitar, but miss out on the fun of the simulated experience. Based on the set lists alone though, which would you rather play?

Last Updated: January 4, 2017

34 Comments

  1. Ottokie "Yahtzee"

    September 15, 2015 at 09:14

    Both track lists look awesome, but I am leaning more toward Guitar Hero, it has a good mix of the old and the new”ish”. And I am probably beeing biased because most of those songs I listened to in High School xD

    And I want to secretly play Kongos – “Come With Me Now” while singing at the top of my lungs and dancing around the living room… ( I am easily amused ok )

    Reply

    • VampyreSquirrel

      September 15, 2015 at 09:27

      I’d totally pay not to see that

      Reply

      • Ottokie "Yahtzee"

        September 15, 2015 at 09:30

        Nothing is going to compare to Skrillex – “Bangarang”… I am going to WUB WUB the whole Western Cape!

        On that same note, how does one actually play crappy dubstep on a guitar?

        Reply

  2. DrKiller

    September 15, 2015 at 09:19

    Going to order Guitar Hero in lunch 🙂

    Reply

  3. Kromas untamed

    September 15, 2015 at 09:22

    Tenacious D – Tribute. We have a winner ladies and gentleman!

    Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      September 15, 2015 at 09:34

      its no wonder boy, but it will do.

      Reply

      • Kromas untamed

        September 15, 2015 at 09:38

        Thanks. Now I have that sing stuck in my head.

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          September 15, 2015 at 09:39

          WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR POOWEER?

          Reply

      • WitWolfy

        September 15, 2015 at 10:28

        I want”The Road”, “Lee” and “Explosivio” myself.

        Reply

    • oVg NOT SURE IF...

      September 15, 2015 at 10:44

      Or you can play Brutal Legend 😛

      Reply

  4. Guild

    September 15, 2015 at 09:30

    Guitar Hero without a doubt

    Reply

    • Brady miaau

      September 15, 2015 at 09:32

      yes. But some great tracks on the other list.

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        September 15, 2015 at 09:33

        true, some, but look at all that heavy on the guitar hero list.

        Reply

    • Ir0nseraph

      September 15, 2015 at 09:58

      If I pick up one of the 2, guitar hero might be the one.

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        September 15, 2015 at 13:14

        depends, if you have a ps3 guitar lying around, rockband is a little more tempting.

        Reply

    • WitWolfy

      September 15, 2015 at 10:29

      For the love of God, please make it so that we can buy DLC using our SA accounts this time around!

      Reply

  5. Matthew Holliday

    September 15, 2015 at 09:32

    track list wont really make all that much difference will it?
    theyr now totally different games, the deciding factor will be whether or not you want the new guitar challenge or the same old band experience, wont it?

    rock bands obviously more accesible, being able to use your old ps3 stuff.
    while guitar hero has hands down the better track list. the 36 crazy fists pick up alone makes it superior. but overall it just gives so much more in the heavy department.

    Reply

  6. oVg NOT SURE IF...

    September 15, 2015 at 10:23

    Give us some more authentic music please.

    Guitar Hero: Metallica – FTW

    Reply

    • WitWolfy

      September 15, 2015 at 10:31

      I wonder whose bright idea it was to include R.E.M… WTF?!?!?!

      Reply

      • oVg NOT SURE IF...

        September 15, 2015 at 10:43

        R.E.M… Is the music equivalent of poly filler 😛

        Reply

        • WitWolfy

          September 15, 2015 at 11:32

          No doubt.. R.E.M = Moby IMO

          Reply

          • oVg NOT SURE IF...

            September 15, 2015 at 11:46

            Royalty free. I am very surprised that they are reviving the nightmares of paying crazy money for licensed music. As for all those Court cases from Slash to Love.

            I remember them pulling out because they stated that they needed over 5 million sales to break even but they were selling 2mill . Whats changed?

            Crazy idea reviving this fad.

          • WitWolfy

            September 15, 2015 at 14:56

            Probably better licensing agreements?

      • Matthew Holliday

        September 15, 2015 at 13:12

        Did you see Darryn trying to play guitar hero a while back?
        if you watch that, you’ll understand the need for R.E.M.

        Reply

  7. WitWolfy

    September 15, 2015 at 10:23

    I dunno… Guess I’ll have to get both…

    Reply

  8. Kevin Brunsdon

    September 15, 2015 at 12:22

    Love how there’s more metal core. Plus only having 6 buttons will be close enough to the actual thing:P

    Reply

  9. Viking Of Science

    September 15, 2015 at 12:38

    No Dragonforce, No Slayer? No point.

    kthxbai

    Reply

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