It happened in 2008. The plastic guitar craze was at its absolute peak, and Neversoft decided to pivot from the multi-artist mayhem of Guitar Hero III to something more focused. They chose the Bad Boys from Boston. While some critics at the time thought it was a bit of a cash grab, the reality of playing through guitar hero songs aerosmith picked for that setlist felt different once you actually had the peripheral in your hands. It wasn't just about the hits; it was about the specific way Joe Perry’s blues-rock riffs translated to those five colored buttons.
Rock and roll is messy. Digital rhythm games are precise. Bridging that gap isn't easy, but Aerosmith’s catalog actually worked better than most people expected.
The Weird Logic Behind the Setlist
Honestly, looking back at Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, the progression was kinda strange. You didn't start as the band; you played as their opening acts in venues like Nipmuc Regional High School. It felt like a time machine. Most gamers were hunting for "Dream On" or "Walk This Way," but the game forced you to earn them. This slow burn meant you spent a lot of time with deep cuts and covers from bands that influenced Steven Tyler and the guys.
The game featured 25 Aerosmith tracks and several "guest" songs. If you look at the master list, it’s a weird mix of 70s grit and 90s radio-polished ballads. Songs like "Make It" from their 1973 debut felt raw and jagged on the fretboard. Compare that to the slick, almost pop-rock production of "Pink" or "Jaded." The difficulty spikes weren't always where you’d think. A song doesn't have to be fast to be hard. Sometimes it’s the syncopation that kills your streak.
Joe Perry’s style is built on "the groove." It’s not the hyper-shredding of DragonForce. It’s about "the swing." In a game engine designed for 16th-note precision, playing a swung blues riff can feel incredibly counterintuitive until your brain finally clicks into the rhythm.
The Heavy Hitters You Remember
"Train Kept A-Rollin'" is probably the most notorious track for anyone trying to five-star the Expert tier. It’s relentless. It’s a cover of a Tiny Bradshaw song that the band made their own, and in the game, it serves as the ultimate endurance test. Your forearm starts to burn around the three-minute mark. That’s the authentic Aerosmith experience, apparently.
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Then you have "Walk This Way." Not the Run-D.M.C. version—the original 1975 masterpiece. The opening riff is iconic, but the bridge is where the note charts get tricky. You've got those quick hammer-ons that require a lot of finger independence. Most people think "Sweet Emotion" would be the highlight, but honestly? The bass line is the star there, and since most people played lead guitar, the track felt a bit empty until the talk-box solo kicked in.
Why "Dream On" Was the Perfect Finale
Every rhythm game needs a "boss" moment. In Guitar Hero III, it was "Through the Fire and Flames." In the Aerosmith edition, it was clearly "Dream On."
There’s something surreal about hitting that climactic high note—the one where Steven Tyler screams—while you're frantically orange-shifting on a plastic neck. It wasn't just about the points. It was the spectacle. The developers at Neversoft actually motion-captured the band, so when Joe Perry is swaying during that solo, it’s actually Joe Perry’s movements from 2007. It added a layer of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to the digital representation that few other games had at the time.
The Forgotten Guest Tracks
People forget that this wasn't just an Aerosmith game. It was a curated history of their influences.
- The Kinks ("All Day and All of the Night")
- Cheap Trick ("Dream Police")
- Joan Jett ("I Hate Myself for Loving You")
These songs provided a necessary break from the Perry/Whitford dual-guitar attack. They reminded you that Aerosmith didn't exist in a vacuum. They were part of a specific lineage of American hard rock that prized attitude over perfection.
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The Technical Reality of Playing Joe Perry
If you’ve ever picked up a real Gibson Les Paul, you know it’s heavy. If you’ve ever tried to play a Joe Perry solo, you know he plays "behind the beat." This is the "secret sauce" that made guitar hero songs aerosmith so polarizing for high-score hunters.
In Guitar Hero, the "timing window" is usually quite generous, but the Aerosmith tracks were charted with a specific emphasis on his loose style. If you played too "correctly," you’d miss the feel. You had to relax. You had to let the notes breathe. This was a departure from the "shred-fest" mentality of previous games. It was a lesson in phrasing.
Looking Back: Was it Actually Good?
Critics in 2008 were somewhat lukewarm. IGN gave it a 7/10. GameSpot was similar. They complained it was too short. And yeah, 40-ish songs is a small library compared to the 80+ songs in Guitar Hero World Tour. But for a fan? It was a deep dive into a specific aesthetic.
The game sold over 4 million copies. That’s not a failure. It proved that "band-centric" games could work, paving the way for The Beatles: Rock Band and Guitar Hero: Metallica. It turned a whole generation of kids who only knew "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" into fans of 1970s dirty blues-rock. That’s a win in my book.
How to Play These Songs Today
You can't exactly walk into a Best Buy and pick up a new copy of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith for the PS5. The licensing for these games is a nightmare. Most of the original contracts expired years ago, which is why you don't see them on digital storefronts like the Xbox Store or PlayStation Network.
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However, the community hasn't let these tracks die. If you’re looking to revisit guitar hero songs aerosmith, here’s the current state of play:
- Clone Hero: This is the gold standard for modern rhythm gaming on PC. It’s a fan-made project that allows you to import charts from every legacy Guitar Hero and Rock Band game. You can find the entire Aerosmith setlist online, converted for use in this engine.
- Physical Hardware: Scouring eBay or local retro game stores for an old Xbox 360 or PS3 is the only "official" way. The guitars are the hard part. The capacitors in those old controllers are starting to fail, so be prepared for some DIY repair.
- The Aerosmith DLC in Rock Band 4: While the standalone game is gone, Harmonix did secure some Aerosmith tracks as DLC for Rock Band 4. You can still buy "Legendary Child," "Lover Alot," and "Walk This Way" on certain platforms, though the 70s classics are harder to find.
The legacy of these songs isn't just about the plastic peripherals. It’s about the fact that Aerosmith’s music is fundamentally fun to pretend to play. It has a swagger that translates even when the "instrument" is a toy. Whether you’re nail-biting through the "Train Kept A-Rollin'" solo or just vibing to "Mama Kin," the DNA of those songs remains some of the best the rhythm genre ever offered.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Player
If you want to relive the glory days of the Aerosmith setlist, don't just wait for a remaster that’s likely never coming due to licensing hell.
First, get yourself a Wii Guitar (the white Les Paul is the most reliable) and a Black Widow or Raphnet adapter to plug it into your PC. Download Clone Hero. It’s free. From there, you can source the "setlist rips" of the original Aerosmith game. This gives you the benefit of the original note charts but with modern features like high-refresh-rate support and practice modes that let you slow down the solos.
Second, if you're a real guitar player, use the game as a rhythmic ear-training tool. The way the game charts the syncopated rhythm in "Rag Doll" is actually a great way to understand how the drums and guitars lock together in that track. It’s more than a game; it’s a breakdown of song structure.
Finally, check the "customs" community. Enthusiasts have charted dozens of Aerosmith songs that never made it into the official game. Ever wanted to play "Seasons of Wither" or "Lord of the Thighs"? Someone has probably mapped it out with more care than a corporate developer ever would have. The plastic guitar might be gathering dust in your closet, but the music hasn't aged a day. Go get that 100% FC. It's still just as satisfying as it was in 2008.