Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix and distributed by RedOctane, and is a sequel to Guitar Hero. The game was released first to PlayStation 2 in 2006 but later released for the Xbox 360 in 2007. Guitar Hero II challenges players to recreate the lead guitar portions of many rock music songs using a specially designed guitar-shaped controller, based on either a Gibson SG for the PlayStation 2 version, a Gibson Explorer for the Xbox 360 version, or else a standard console controller. As notes scroll down the screen towards the player, the player must hit both the fret buttons on the guitar controller and the strum bar at the same time to successfully hit the notes. Successfully hitting notes improves the player's performance in the game and also raises their score, while missing notes will reduce the player's performance, and a poor performance may end the song prematurely. Each song can be played at one of four difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert. These levels reflect the number of fret buttons used and the number and frequency of the notes to be performed.

There are 64 songs total in the PlayStation 2 version while there are 74 songs total for the later Xbox 360 version. The Xbox 360 version adds an additional 24 downloadable songs via Xbox Live Marketplace, bringing the total to 98 songs.

Game disc songs

Main setlist There are 40 songs in the main Career mode for the PlayStation 2 version, and 48 songs in the Xbox 360 version. Songs are organized by tiers that are related to the song's difficulty, and there are differences between the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 ordering due to the extra songs. Each tier at a given difficulty is unlocked in order, and a tier is completed once three to five songs (depending on the difficulty level) and the tier's encore song are successfully completed. Once a song is unlocked in a tier at any difficulty, it is available for the quick play, competitive, and co-operative modes.

Most songs in the game are covers of the original songs performed by WaveGroup Sound, but there are some master recordings as indicated below. Each song has a lead guitar track and either a bass or rhythm guitar track that can be played in practice or cooperative modes.

Year Song title Artist Original Master Recording PlayStation 2 Tier Xbox 360 Tier 1977 "Bad Reputation" Thin Lizzy 5.45. Return of the Shred 5.55. Return of the Shred 2006 "Beast and the Harlot" Avenged Sevenfold 8.18. Face-Melters 8.18. Face-Melters 1973 "Billion Dollar Babies" Alice Cooper 999— 3.43. String-Snappers 1971 "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'" Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones 4.44. Thrash and Burn 4.54. Thrash and Burn 2000 "Carry Me Home" Living EndThe Living End 7.27. Furious Fretwork 8.28. Face-Melters 1976 "Carry On Wayward Son" Kansas 2.52. Amp WarmersEncore 3.13. String-Snappers 1990 "Cherry Pie" Warrant 4.14. Thrash and Burn 2.32. Amp Warmers 1976 "Crazy on You" Heart 6.16. Relentless Riffs 6.16. Relentless Riffs 2006 "Dead!" My Chemical Romance 999— 6.36. Relentless Riffs 1973 "Free Bird" Lynyrd Skynyrd 8.58. Face-MeltersEncore 8.68. Face-MeltersEncore 2006 "Freya" SwordThe Sword 5.35. Return of the Shred 6.56. Relentless Riffs 1991 "Girlfriend" Matthew Sweet 4.34. Thrash and Burn 4.34. Thrash and Burn 1990 "Hangar 18" Megadeth 8.48. Face-Melters 8.58. Face-Melters 1993 "Heart-Shaped Box" Nirvana 2.22. Amp Warmers 1.31. Opening Licks 1968 "Hush" Deep Purple 999— 4.24. Thrash and Burn 1983 "Institutionalized" Suicidal Tendencies 8.28. Face-Melters 8.38. Face-Melters 1973 "Jessica" Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band 6.46. Relentless Riffs 5.45. Return of the Shred 1990 "John the Fisherman" Primus 5.25. Return of the Shred 5.35. Return of the Shred 1992 "Killing in the Name" Rage Against the Machine 5.15. Return of the Shred 6.46. Relentless Riffs 2004 "Laid to Rest" Lamb of God 7.37. Furious Fretwork 7.47. Furious Fretwork 1976 "Last Child" Aerosmith 5.55. Return of the ShredEncore 5.65. Return of the ShredEncore 2006 "Life Wasted" Pearl Jam 999— 2.22. Amp Warmers 1985 "Madhouse" Anthrax 7.17. Furious Fretwork 7.17. Furious Fretwork 1979 "Message in a Bottle" PoliceThe Police 2.32. Amp Warmers 3.33. String-Snappers 1962 "Misirlou" Dick Dale 8.38. Face-Melters 8.48. Face-Melters 1997 "Monkey Wrench" Foo Fighters 3.13. String-Snappers 4.14. Thrash and Burn 1988 "Mother" Danzig 1.21. Opening Licks 2.12. Amp Warmers 1994 "Possum Kingdom" Toadies 999— 1.21. Opening Licks 1990 "Psychobilly Freakout" Reverend Horton Heat 7.47. Furious Fretwork 7.57. Furious Fretwork 1973 "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" Rick Derringer 999— 5.15. Return of the Shred 1981 "Rock This Town" Stray Cats 6.36. Relentless Riffs 7.37. Furious Fretwork 1994 "Salvation" Rancid 999— 1.41. Opening Licks 1973 "Search and Destroy" Iggy Pop and the Stooges 3.33. String-Snappers 3.23. String-Snappers 1983 "Shout at the Devil" Mötley Crüe 1.11. Opening Licks 1.61. Opening LicksEncore 1990 "Stop" Jane's Addiction 6.56. Relentless RiffsEncore 6.66. Relentless RiffsEncore 1974 "Strutter" Kiss 2.12. Amp Warmers 1.51. Opening Licks 1978 "Surrender" Cheap Trick 1.31. Opening Licks 1.11. Opening Licks 1987 "Sweet Child o' Mine" Guns N' Roses 4.54. Thrash and BurnEncore 4.64. Thrash and BurnEncore 1980 "Tattooed Love Boys" PretendersThe Pretenders 3.43. String-Snappers 5.25. Return of the Shred 1992 "Them Bones" Alice in Chains 3.23. String-Snappers 3.53. String-Snappers 1984 "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" Spinal Tap 1.51. Opening LicksEncore 2.62. Amp WarmersEncore 1996 "Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart" Stone Temple Pilots 6.26. Relentless Riffs 6.26. Relentless Riffs 1983 "The Trooper" Iron Maiden 999— 7.27. Furious Fretwork 1970 "War Pigs" Black Sabbath 3.53. String-SnappersEncore 3.63. String-SnappersEncore 1993 "Who Was in My Room Last Night?" Butthole SurfersThe Butthole Surfers 4.24. Thrash and Burn 4.44. Thrash and Burn 2006 "Woman" Wolfmother 1.41. Opening Licks 2.42. Amp Warmers 1978 "You Really Got Me" Van Halen 2.42. Amp Warmers 2.52. Amp Warmers 1981 "YYZ" Rush 7.57. Furious FretworkEncore 7.67. Furious FretworkEncore Song has a rhythm guitar track instead of a bass guitar co-operative play track.

Bonus songs There are 24 bonus songs in the PlayStation 2 version of Guitar Hero II and 2 additional songs for the Xbox 360 version. All bonus songs are unlockable by using in-game money within the game's store. Once purchased, they are playable in quick play, competitive, and co-operative modes. The song "Raw Dog" by The Last Vegas was selected as part of the "Be a Guitar Hero" contest for the release of Guitar Hero II.

All bonus songs are master recordings, and where marked, include rhythm guitar rather than bass guitar tracks.

Year Song title Artist 2006 "Arterial Black" Drist 2006 "Collide" Anarchy Club 2006 "Drink Up" Ounce of Self 2006 "Elephant Bones" That Handsome Devil 2006 "Fall of Pangea" Valient Thorr 2006 "FTK" VAGIANT 2004 "Gemini" Brian Kahanek 2006 "Jordan" Buckethead 2006 "Kicked to the Curb" Noble Rot 2006 "Laughtrack" Acro-BratsThe Acro-Brats 2006 "Less Talk More Rokk" Freezepop 2000 "Mr. Fix It" Amazing CrownsThe Amazing Crowns 2006 "One for the Road" Breaking WheelThe Breaking Wheel 2006 "Parasite" NeighborhoodsThe Neighborhoods 2006 "Push Push (Lady Lightning)" Bang Camaro 2006 "Radium Eyes" Count Zero 2006 "Raw Dog" Last VegasThe Last Vegas 2006 "Red Lottery" Megasus 2006 "Six" All That Remains 2006 "Soy Bomb" Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives 2004 "The Light That Blinds" Shadows Fall 2006 "The New Black" Every Time I Die 2006 "Thunderhorse" Dethklok 2003 "Trogdor" Strong Bad 2006 "X-Stream" Voivod 2006 "Yes We Can" Made in Mexico

Downloadable content The Xbox 360 version of the game allows for the use of downloadable content available through Xbox Live Marketplace. These are typically released as packs of three, or as single song. These packs include songs from the original Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2. Additional packs consist of songs that have not been featured in Guitar Hero before, and are masters, even though some are indicated as covers in the game. As of April 1, 2014, these songs are no longer available in the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Year Song title Artist Master recording? Release date Single / Pack 1983 "Bark at the Moon" Ozzy Osbourne Guitar Hero Track Pack 1 2004 "Hey You" ExiesThe Exies Guitar Hero Track Pack 1 1980 "Ace of Spades" Motörhead Guitar Hero Track Pack 1 1974 "Killer Queen" Queen Guitar Hero Track Pack 2 2002 "Take It Off" DonnasThe Donnas Guitar Hero Track Pack 2 1973 "Frankenstein" Edgar Winter GroupThe Edgar Winter Group Guitar Hero Track Pack 2 1989 "Higher Ground" Red Hot Chili Peppers Guitar Hero Track Pack 3 1994 "Infected" Bad Religion Guitar Hero Track Pack 3 2000 "Stellar" Incubus Guitar Hero Track Pack 3 1978 "I Wanna Be Sedated" RamonesThe Ramones Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 1972 "Smoke on the Water" Deep Purple Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 1982 "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" Judas Priest Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 2006 "Famous Last Words" My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance Pack 2006 "Teenagers" My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance Pack 2006 "This Is How I Disappear" My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance Pack 2006 "Detonation" Trivium Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack I 2006 "Ex's And Oh's" Atreyu Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack I 2005 "Bury the Hatchet" Protest the Hero Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack I 1993 "Sin Documentos" RodriguezLos Rodríguez Single 2006 "Sept" Pleymo Single 2007 "Exile" Soilwork Single 2007 "The State of Massachusetts" Dropkick Murphys Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack II 2007 "You Should Be Ashamed of Myself" BledThe Bled Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack II 2007 "Memories of the Grove" Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Guitar Hero Indie Label Pack II

References

General

Specific

External links Official website