Guitar Hero II to feature Skynyrd, GN'R

[UPDATE] RedOctane and Activision's headbanger-sim to sport classic rock anthem "Freebird," Guns N' Roses ballad "Sweet Child O' Mine"; RedOctane confirms rumored tracks by Motley Crü:e, Anthrax, Stone Temple Pilots.

This week, Activision released two new trailers for Guitar Hero II. The game, which due out this fall, is the follow-up to Guitar Hero, the award-winning and still-popular PlayStation 2 title from RedOctane and Harmonix. The title was so successful that Activision paid nearly $100 million to buy RedOctane, and is rumored to be blowing out Guitar Hero into a multititle franchise akin to Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series.

Guitar Hero II

"Play Freebird!" No, seriously, play it.

But while DDR's gameplay is powered by a techno-pop beat, Guitar Hero is an all-rock rhythm game. How lucky then that the two trailers this week revealed that two pillars of the rock pantheon will be featured in Guitar Hero II.

The first trailer showed the game will include "Sweet Child O' Mine," the 1986 breakout hit from one of the biggest heavy metal bands of all time, Guns N' Roses. The second trailer showed that "Freebird," the oft-requested rock ballad from seminal '70s group Lynyrd Skynyrd, would also be featured in the game. Both trailers are viewable below, as is a list of all confirmed Guitar Hero II songs and three tracks rumored to be in the game, which will ship for the PlayStation 2 on November 7.

[UPDATE] RedOctane has now confirmed the following songs as being in Guitar Hero II. The status of one song that had been previously believed to be in the game, Drist's "Arterial Black," is now unclear.


Anthrax--"Madhouse"
Black Sabbath--"War Pigs"
Butthole Surfers--"Who Was in My Room Last Night?"
Guns N' Roses--"Sweet Child O' Mine"
KISS--"Strutter"
Lynyrd Skynyrd--"Freebird"
Motley Crüe--"Shout at the Devil"
Primus--"John the Fisherman" (Original Recording)
Reverend Horton Heat--"Psychobilly Freakout"
Rush--"YYZ"
Stone Temple Pilots--"Tripping on a Hole in a Paper Heart"
Van Halen--"You Really Got Me"

112 Comments

  • s0ild_snake

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 5:56 am PT

    it game good

  • vandal451

    Posted Oct 9, 2006 11:09 am PT

    Reverend Horton Heat is insane! I bet psyhobilly freakout
    will be one of the top 5 hardest songs.

  • phantomshockey

    Posted Oct 2, 2006 1:50 pm PT

    I LOVE WAR PIGS THAT SONGS AWSOME

  • hirachio

    Posted Sep 28, 2006 9:16 am PT

    Zepplin and Metallica would be awesome, but since their a bunch of prissies about their music, they haven't given Red Octane permission to use their songs, that's why there's not going to be any of those two.

  • Green_apple

    Posted Sep 24, 2006 10:48 am PT

    i'd appreciate some maiden up there, playing fear of the dark.....wrathchild.....clansman...anything..they would all work great....that would be pretty awesome

  • gamefreak101290

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 8:55 am PT

    they need iron maiden!

  • mynameisern

    Posted Sep 20, 2006 9:55 pm PT

    id like to play metallica, slipknot, mudvayne,tool, red hot chille peppers alot more metal would be nice

  • NeoFlashMan

    Posted Sep 18, 2006 2:44 pm PT

    How about some cky or led zepplin

  • General48

    Posted Sep 18, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    Wow really excited to see some G n' R and Lynrd Skynyrd

    Would really love some ACDC, Metallica, and even The Eagles
    Hotel California would be sweet to play

    Adding some hair bands like Poison and Cinderella would be nice too

  • Hoju69

    Posted Sep 8, 2006 12:07 pm PT

    Just thought everyone should know, Breaking Wheel (formerly known as Artillery in Guitar Hero) with have their song "One for the Road" on Guitar Hero 2. This comes from a blog post on they're myspace page.

  • -o-o-o-o-o-o-ox

    Posted Sep 6, 2006 11:26 am PT

    It's all Classic Corporate rock except for Butthole Surfers.

    C'mon, Red Octane, I thought you promised a nice blend of new and old.

    Stick in some grunge, like Alice in Chains or Nirvana, or even Pearl Jam.

  • gamefreak101290

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    who heard about steve irwins death?

  • gamefreak101290

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 3:08 pm PT

    What they are probably doing is giving us the list of the not-as-big songs and have some really popular and hard songs. hopefully something in the era of where the insane solos really came from (van halens era.) basically, the 80's and early 90's.

  • StaticSnake

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 2:40 pm PT

    Dude, I'd mess myself if they put the FInal Countdown into this game.

  • gamefreak101290

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 8:37 am PT

    they should think about putting some songs with dual lead guitar parts, like iron maiden's "powerslave" or "aces high" and metallica has them too. they should put some pink floyd too. who could resist?

  • Skalla85

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    ok so far this is a good line up......... but where's the AC/DC?

  • gamefreak101290

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 5:21 pm PT

    metallica's "The Unforgiven" would be a good song to put on. I hope at least one metallica song will be on there.

  • squigmund

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 9:30 am PT

    oh yeah and i forgot quit ur whining about which is better metal or classic rock.... THEY BOTH ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • squigmund

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 9:21 am PT

    You know what would be really cool thin lizzy's jailbreak. They also need whiplash- metallica, back in black- ac/dc, slither-velvet revolver, black dog- led zepplin, Mr. Crowley Ozzy Osbourne(no crazy train that song sux) walk- pantera, and bat country-avenged sevenfold, theres some tough stuff on expert. That is cool there putting in gnr, van halen, skynyrd, and motley crue....

  • JK47GT

    Posted Aug 28, 2006 6:41 pm PT

    They need to add a Metallica song, preferably "Master of Puppets." I would **** my pants if they put that on there! If not, "Enter Sandman" would do, lol.

  • eldude007

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 10:03 pm PT

    that's a pretty sick list of songs. cant wait for the new game. but they need one important band SLAYER

  • mattz721721

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 9:17 pm PT

    "Led Zeppelin OWNS ALL ACTUAL MSUIC

    If you dont now Led Zeppelin=Classic

    Classic Bands are far better that all hardcore "heavy" junk bands " - PainKiller25

    Unfortunately, no. Opinions aren't actually fact.

    The only problem is now they have to come up with something witty to rebuttal the loading screen from GH1. xD

    I hope, when the full tracklist comes out, they do have some heavier stuff. Because if everything is all songs we "know and love", we don't get to hear any new songs we normally wouldn't listen to, we don't get to open up to new types of music, and we stay inside our closed-minded minds.

    Then again, with heavier stuff, solos are much harder. >_> (Cowboys from Hell ring a bell to anybody?)

    I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but I hope they put in some Iced Earth, along with the previously mentioned metal bands.

  • xtcdukes

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 4:15 am PT

    Freebird in Guitar Hero II? WTF? Why don't you just include Europe's "Final Countdown" so the song list can totally suck altogether? I mean seriously, Freebird? Do I get a free jean jacket and confederate flag with my pre-order?

  • rebel_scum

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 10:14 pm PT

    ahuh, firebird23.. im sure you've never heard any of the bands ive listed.. whatever.
    and wow, you think that all that classic rock stuff (albeit good) is complex and intricate? HAH.

    besides, "the new black" is almost a definate addition to the track listing.. and even with just that, i'm happy.

  • Guitar_Hero_123

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 8:58 pm PT

    The track list so far..........is REALLY good, i LOVE Black Sabbath, and "Sweet Child O' Mine" being playable means i will be up all night, i LOVE that song, i was jumpin up and down.......and up...........and down again in excitement, but "Arterial Black"...........i hope its put in the game, Drist is awsome, i hope they add some more Stevie Ray Vaughan, like "Crossfire" would be a good choice, awsome bass line, or "I Just Want You" by Ozzy dudes!!!!! well..........i can dream, but yeah, i hope the list stays good forever until it actually comes out

  • Richter7

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:26 pm PT

    Really can't wait for this game to come out...However why won't they bring out all of GuitarFreaks/Drummania Series?

  • almighty_master

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 8:33 am PT

    To Ministry4390

    From Answers.com -

    "An artist, author, or work generally considered to be of the highest rank or excellence, especially one of enduring significance."

    It seems 'classic' does mean it's good.

  • Ministry4390

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:28 am PT

    Painkiller, thats your opinion. Unfortunately your opinion is wrong, but whatever. Shaneaw, I didnt really feel that the first guitar hero had great variety. There wasnt one song on there that I would have listened to if i wasnt playing the game.

    Sooo, yeah. I wont be back on this page so have fun arguing with yourselves.

  • Mr_Brownstone88

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 6:24 am PT

    k everyone who is asking for heavy metal music, and less classic rock music, take into account that theres going to be 55 songs on this game, and they have only confirmed 12 songs (one of them being anthrax). So shutup and wait before you start whining, and besides everyone like classic rock, some just arent man enough to admit it

  • shaneaw

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 5:06 am PT

    Well first off, thank god someone up there likes me Freebird, Sweet Child of Mine, Strutter, War Pigs, You Really Got Me and some of the other confirmed songs are absolutely classic and it's about time the worlds most loved type of music " Classic Rock" Started to get much more used in video games because everyone knows that the gaming industry is now making more money than the movie industry is.
    Secondly Stairway to Heaven is by no means overrated, not now not ever, in fact it is the worlds most loved rock song even more so than Bohemian Rhapsody or Smells like teen Spirit and you cannot tell me that your one or two opinions are ever going to change the fact that it is a brilliant song,
    On another note ive been waiting for Freebird since the first game but I cannot even begin to tell you how disappointed im gonna be if this isnt the full length, full on experience that the song is when its in its entirity
    And finally for those of you complaining at the classic rock in the game just take into account the variety the last game had in its track listing, this game will cater for your needs to, after all they have started a profitable franchise and I guarantee that they will not want to piss any1 off so they will no doubt cater for every1, even those of you who are tone deaf that listen to the tuneless crap that you are all calling heavy metal, granted it isnt all bad but the bands that are any good are either classic bands or bands playing in the same kind of classic style Anyways Rock On !!

  • madroxide87

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 3:34 am PT

    I just hope that the covers aren't as....."recognizable" to be polite about it.

  • PainKiller_25

    Posted Aug 25, 2006 12:41 am PT

    Ministry4390

    Led Zeppelin OWNS ALL ACTUAL MSUIC

    If you dont now Led Zeppelin=Classic

    Classic Bands are far better that all hardcore "heavy" junk bands

  • Ministry4390

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 8:48 pm PT

    Hey puablo, "classic" doesnt mean "good". It just means its old.

  • vmfstorm1

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    please classic rock is the best type of music to actually play you have the widest range of music from psychadellic to old metal. This and when looked at new types of metal (thrash and deth) are just a loud and unskilled way of playing horrible jumbles of notes as fast as possible....it shouldn't even be music

  • dazman92

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    Where's Eruption?

  • T1Panda

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Reverend Horton Heat? Sign me up.

  • mitchster_chief

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 4:22 pm PT

    i hope they put in some more punk songs that aren't butchered like fatlip in GH1.

  • DevilMayAsian

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 2:56 pm PT

    VAN HALEN!

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 2:22 pm PT

    ewwww guns and roses

  • Logan812

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 2:14 pm PT

    For the last time! Shout at the Devil and Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart are confirmed! www.ign.com, search for guitar hero 2.

  • WolfSkill5544

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 12:42 pm PT

    Hell yeah!!! Bring some Slayer to Guitar Hero please!!

  • SteelFan

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 11:59 am PT

    Am I the only one that has heard "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson? (If you haven't, look it up) That would make shelling out $70 definitly worth it.

  • puablo

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 11:54 am PT

    Whoa there... classic rock "garbage"? What part of "classic" is missed here? While a game like GH definitely deserves a large dose of heavy metal, the classic rock songs definitely have huge appeal. Personally I enjoyed the makeup of GH1, ranging from Cream to Ozzy to the Ramones. If they can keep the same great combinations in GH2, and so far it looks like they are, it's going to be awesome.

  • jman183

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 11:34 am PT

    Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name of was also rumored. Killing_In_The_Name_Of

    dudes...if that is true....holy ****

    Also, in the new OPM RedOctane says this;

    "Van Halen - Panama" "Everytime time I listen to it, that is , to me the epitone of a Guitar Hero song" ---Tam

    That would be SICK if they had Panama!!

  • RykuXr

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 10:10 am PT

    Wow, that's a pretty sweet line-up of songs so far. I really like the direction of this game, but I hope that since it'll be a franchise, that maybe we'll see an all Metal band version. It could have stuff like Slayer, Lamb of God, Pantera, older Metallica, Fear Factory, ect. I don't know, it could hopefully happen if they decided to have different types of it anyways.

  • Ministry4390

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 9:37 am PT

    Definitely agree with rebel scum. They need to give it up with this classic rock garbage and give us some heavy music.

    Hopefully they'll break Guitar Hero up into different editions each with a different genre so we can get the songs we want.

  • ddychko

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 9:24 am PT

    What GH2 really needs is metal like Fear Factory, Rammstien, and frickin Type O Negative! Let the mash pits in living room begin. * Flashing the devil horns * Butter!

  • jaredgood1

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 9:00 am PT

    Ahhhh. Drunken Freebird will be great.

  • GyRo567

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 8:56 am PT

    FREE BIRD!!! =O

  • stuarthanley

    Posted Aug 24, 2006 8:43 am PT

    G 'n R? Def buying this now!!!!

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