Back in 2009, the rhythm game world was getting a little crowded. We’d already survived the "plastic instrument" boom, and everyone’s living room was basically a graveyard for fake drum kits and sticky guitars. Then came the guitar hero 5 song list, and honestly, it changed the vibe. It wasn't just another dump of hair metal tracks. It was... weirdly sophisticated?
Most people remember the classics. You’ve got your "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (which caused a whole legal mess with Courtney Love, but we'll get to that) and the heavy hitters like Iron Maiden. But if you actually sit down and look at the 85-song tracklist, it’s a bizarre, beautiful melting pot. We’re talking Johnny Cash rubbing shoulders with Rammstein and Vampire Weekend. It’s the kind of playlist a chaotic DJ would spin at 3:00 AM.
The Most Diverse Lineup in the Series?
Seriously, the variety here was wild. Activision wanted to pull in everyone. They didn't just stick to the "dad rock" formula that made the early games famous. Instead, they took a massive swing at indie, folk, and even some hip-hop.
You’ve got 83 different artists. Only two bands actually got two songs on the disc: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Nirvana. Everyone else was a one-hit wonder for the session. This was a deliberate move. The developers at Neversoft wanted the guitar hero 5 song list to feel like a festival, not a tribute act.
The Heavy Hitters and the "Wait, This is Here?" Tracks
- The Legends: You had "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones. That’s a massive get. Then there’s "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash. Playing a country song on a plastic guitar felt wrong until the moment you hit that first chord. Then it felt perfect.
- The Modern Stuff: This game was surprisingly "indie-forward" for 2009. We got "A-Punk" by Vampire Weekend and "Blue Orchid" by The White Stripes. It felt like the game finally grew up and started reading music blogs.
- The Deep Cuts: King Crimson’s "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a prog-rock nightmare in the best way possible. If your fingers didn't cramp up during that sax-mimicking solo, you weren't playing it right.
What Really Happened With the Kurt Cobain Scandal
We have to talk about it. You can't mention the guitar hero 5 song list without mentioning the Kurt Cobain avatar. Basically, if you unlocked Kurt, you could make him sing anything.
Seeing a digital Kurt Cobain belt out "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi was... jarring. It felt a bit like a fever dream. Courtney Love and the surviving members of Nirvana weren't exactly thrilled. It sparked a massive conversation about digital legacy and whether or not it's okay to make a dead icon perform "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry. Honestly, it was a mess. But it's part of why this specific game stays in people's heads.
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The Full Tracklist Breakdown (No Fluff)
The game gave you everything right from the start. No more grinding through Career Mode just to play your favorite song in Quickplay. That was a huge quality-of-life jump.
The "Classic" Vibes
There's a specific energy to playing "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits. It’s all about the finger-picking (or the rapid-fire strumming, in this case). You also had Stevie Wonder’s "Superstition," which proved that keyboard riffs are actually just guitar riffs in disguise.
The Hard and Heavy
For the metalheads, the list didn't disappoint. Megadeth’s "Sweating Bullets" provided that frantic, jittery energy. Children of Bodom and Iron Maiden ("2 Minutes to Midnight") kept the difficulty high for the "Expert" players who lived for the orange note.
The Indie Revolution
This is where the game found its soul. Bands like Arctic Monkeys, TV On The Radio, and Sonic Youth brought a texture that the previous games lacked. "Incinerate" by Sonic Youth is a masterpiece of noise, and somehow, it worked on a peripheral with five colored buttons.
Why the Multiplayer Saved This Game
It wasn't just the songs; it was how you played them. Guitar Hero 5 introduced "Party Play." You could just let the game run in the background like a jukebox. If a banger like "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz came on, someone could just grab a guitar, hit a button, and jump in mid-song. No pausing. No menus.
You could also have four people all playing the same instrument. Four drummers? Total chaos. Four singers? A literal nightmare for your neighbors. But it was fun. It removed the "you can't be the singer because I'm already the singer" argument that broke up so many high school bands.
The Legacy of the 85
When you look back, the guitar hero 5 song list was the peak of the franchise's "experimental" phase. It was the last time the series felt like it was leading the culture rather than just chasing it.
The game even let you import songs from Guitar Hero World Tour and Smash Hits. It was the first time the ecosystem felt connected. You weren't just buying a disc; you were building a library.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check Compatibility: If you still have your old console, remember that many of these tracks can't be bought as DLC anymore due to licensing expirations. Your physical disc is a goldmine.
- The Clone Hero Route: If your hardware died, look into "Clone Hero" on PC. The community has meticulously charted almost the entire guitar hero 5 song list so you can play it with modern equipment.
- Track Down the "Import" Codes: If you’re playing on original hardware, search for your old manuals. Some of those export codes for moving songs between games might still work if they weren't used.
- Listen to the "Vibe": Honestly, just go find a GH5 playlist on Spotify. It’s one of the best curated "alternative rock" time capsules of the late 2000s.
It’s easy to dismiss these games as relics of a simpler time, but the music choices were bold. They took risks on "un-gameable" songs and mostly stuck the landing. Whether you're a veteran shredder or just someone who misses the clicking sound of a plastic strum bar, there's no denying that this specific set of songs had a certain magic.