DJ Hero is a rhythm video game and a spin-off of the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision worldwide in October 2009 for the PlayStation 2 and 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game is based on turntablism, requiring the use of a special game controller that includes a turntable surface with three buttons, a crossfader bar, and an effects dial, in addition to other controller buttons used to manipulate in-game menus. In a manner similar to Guitar Hero, players use the turntable controller to mimic the actions of a disc jockey (DJ), such as scratching and crossfading between two different songs, as graphical representations of these actions scroll down on screen towards the player in time with the music. Unlike previous Guitar Hero games, there is no performance meter, and instead players are simply challenged to obtain the best score possible in order to earn stars (from zero to five for each mix) to unlock new songs, venues, and characters. The player can attempt these songs at one of four difficulties (Easy to Expert), with higher difficulties providing more actions for the player to perform within the song.
The game's on-disc soundtrack contains 94 mixes, most made from two songs; over 100 individual songs are incorporated into these mixes. Some mixes feature only a single song mixed with itself. Ten songs on disc include a guitar track that can be played using a Guitar Hero or other compatible controller alongside the DJ mixing player in the game's DJ vs Guitar mode. The game supports additional content through downloadable tracks from the game consoles' respective online stores. While most on-disc mixes were created by FreeStyleGames, several DJs have contributed mixes to the game, including Grandmaster Flash, DJ Shadow, DJ AM, DJ Z-Trip, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and the Scratch Perverts; other DJ artists provided future downloadable content.
On-disc soundtrack The on-disc soundtrack contains 93 mixes, each featuring one or two songs. These are arranged across 24 setlists, ordered roughly by difficulty of the mix, with more difficult mixes appearing later in the game. To access later tiers, the player must earn a pre-set number of stars on previous mixes at any difficulty. All mixes are immediately available to play in the Quickplay and competitive modes. The table below lists the mixes in the game, including the two songs that contribute to their mix as well as their individual artists; the mix artist that created the mix; whether the song is playable in the game's DJ vs Guitar mode; and the career tier in which the song is located.
Reviewers found the on-disc soundtrack to be strong; Daemon Hatfield of IGN believed that "the entire soundtrack is superb and could easily stand on its own outside the game". Matt Helgeson of Game Informer considered it to be one of the "most adventurous" soundtracks of any music game, and said though it often relied too much on pop hits, it remained true to the spirit of the DJ mix scene. Johnny Minkley thought the game to have "vital, varied, surprising and vast musical content" and to be a fresh experience compared to previous music games. The game did not sell well in the first month after its release; Ben Kuchera of Ars Technica attributed the low sales of the game partially to its soundtrack. While Kuchera felt the soundtrack was good, he asserted that individual songs were unrecognizable because of modifications made to them for the mixes, and that they were more difficult to adjust to within the gameplay itself.
Song 1 title Artist 1 Song 2 title Artist 2 Mix artist Guitar part? Level "Ace of Spades" Motörhead "Groundhog" Noisia FreeStyleGames "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" Bobby "Blue" Bland "Fuzz and Them" Connie Price & The Keystones FreeStyleGames "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" Bobby "Blue" Bland "How Do U Want It" 2Pac FreeStyleGames "All Eyez on Me" 2Pac "Bitter Sweet Symphony (Instrumental)" FreeStyleGames "Another One Bites the Dust" Queen "Brass Monkey" Beastie Boys DJ Z-Trip "Another One Bites the Dust" Queen "Da Funk" Daft Punk FreeStyleGames "Around the World" Daft Punk "Bust a Move" Young MC FreeStyleGames "Beats" Shlomo "The Big Beat Billy Squier FreeStyleGames "Beats and Pieces" Scratch PervertsThe Scratch Perverts n/a n/a The Scratch Perverts "Beverly Hills" Weezer "Fresh Rhymes and Videotape" Evidence featuring The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88-Keys FreeStyleGames "The Big Beat" Billy Squier "Lapdance" N.E.R.D. FreeStyleGames "Bitter Sweet Symphony (Instrumental)" "Rock the Bells" LL Cool J DJ Jazzy Jeff "Boom Boom Pow" "Satisfaction" Benny Benassi FreeStyleGames "Boom" Grandmaster Flash "Tap" Grandmaster Flash Grandmaster Flash "Bring the Noise 20XX" Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde "Genesis" Justice DJ Z-Trip "Bring the Noise 20XX (DJ-Guitar Mix)" Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde n/a n/a FreeStyleGames "Bustin' Loose" Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers "Bust a Move" Young MC FreeStyleGames "Bustin' Loose" Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers "Time of the Season" DJ Shadow "Change Clothes" Jay-Z featuring Pharrell Williams "All Eyez on Me" 2Pac FreeStyleGames "Da Funk" Daft Punk "Strange Enough" N.A.S.A. featuring Karen O, ODB & Fatlip FreeStyleGames "Day 'n' Nite" Kid Cudi "Boom Boom Pow" FreeStyleGames "Disco Inferno" 50 Cent "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" Indeep FreeStyleGames "Disco Inferno" 50 Cent "Let's Dance" David Bowie FreeStyleGames "Disturbia" Rihanna "Control" Kid Sister FreeStyleGames "Disturbia" Rihanna "Disco Inferno" FreeStyleGames "Disturbia" Rihanna "Somebody Told Me" FreeStyleGames David Axelrod "Eric B. Is President" Eric B. & Rakim FreeStyleGames "Excuse Me Miss" Jay-Z featuring Pharrell Williams "Give It to Me Baby" Rick James FreeStyleGames "Feel Good Inc." Gorillaz "Atomic" Blondie FreeStyleGames "Fight! Smash! Win!" Street Sweeper Social Club "Intergalactic" Beastie Boys FreeStyleGames "Fix Up, Look Sharp" Dizzee Rascal "Genesis" Justice FreeStyleGames "Fix Up, Look Sharp" Dizzee Rascal "Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)" DJ Shadow FreeStyleGames "Good Thang" Q-Tip Billy Squier J.Period "Groundhog (Beat Juggle)" Noisia n/a n/a The Scratch Perverts , The Vinyl Cut "Here Comes My DJ" Grandmaster Flash featuring DJ Kool & DJ Demo "Cars" Gary Numan Grandmaster Flash "Here's a Little Somethin' for Ya" Beastie Boys DJ Shadow DJ Shadow "Hollaback Girl" Gwen Stefani "Feel Good Inc." Gorillaz FreeStyleGames "Hollaback Girl" Gwen Stefani "Give It to Me Baby" Rick James FreeStyleGames "Hollaback Girl" Gwen Stefani "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" Indeep DJ AM "How Ya Like Me Now" Kool Moe Dee "I Like to Move It" Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman FreeStyleGames "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye "Feel Good Inc." Gorillaz FreeStyleGames "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye "Let's Dance" David Bowie FreeStyleGames , The Vinyl Cut "I Want You Back" "Just to Get a Rep" Gang Starr DJ Yoda "I Want You Back" "Semi-Charmed Life" Third Eye Blind FreeStyleGames "I Want You Back" "Semi-Charmed Life" Third Eye Blind FreeStyleGames "Ice Ice Baby" Vanilla Ice "Straight Up" Paula Abdul FreeStyleGames "Ice Ice Baby" Vanilla Ice "U Can't Touch This" MC Hammer FreeStyleGames "Insane in the Brain" Cypress Hill "Spooky" Classics IV FreeStyleGames "Insane in the Brain" Cypress Hill David Axelrod FreeStyleGames "Intergalactic" Beastie Boys "Rapture" Blondie FreeStyleGames "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" Jay-Z "I Want You Back" FreeStyleGames "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" Jay-Z "My Name Is" Eminem FreeStyleGames "Jack of Spades" Boogie Down Productions "Let's Dance" David Bowie DJ Shadow "Jayou" Jurassic 5 "Rockit" Herbie Hancock FreeStyleGames "Jayou" Jurassic 5 "The Big Beat" Billy Squier FreeStyleGames "Juke Box Hero" Foreigner "DJ Hero" DJ Z-Trip featuring Murs DJ Z-Trip "Juke Box Hero" Foreigner "DJ Hero" DJ Z-Trip featuring Murs DJ Z-Trip "Just to Get a Rep" Gang Starr "Shook Ones part II" Mobb Deep J.Period "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" Indeep "Word Up!" Cameo FreeStyleGames "Lee Majors Come Again" Beastie Boys "Da Funk" Daft Punk Cut Chemist "Lookin' at Me" Wale "Hey Mama" ft. Tippa Irie FreeStyleGames "Megamix 1" (Around the World, Technologic, Television Rules The Nation) Daft Punk n/a n/a FreeStyleGames "Megamix 2" (Robot Rock, Da Funk, Short Circuit) Daft Punk n/a n/a FreeStyleGames "Monkey Wrench" Foo Fighters "Sabotage" Beastie Boys FreeStyleGames "Mr. Big Stuff" Jean Knight "Born to Roll" Masta Ace FreeStyleGames "My Name Is" Eminem "Loser" Beck FreeStyleGames "Nothing But You" Paul van Dyk "I Can't Stop (David Penn Remix)" Sandy Rivera featuring David Penn FreeStyleGames "Paper Planes" M.I.A. "Eric B. Is President" Eric B. & Rakim The Scratch Perverts "Paper Planes" M.I.A. "Lookin' at Me" Wale FreeStyleGames "Play That Funky Music" Wild Cherry "Just to Get a Rep" Gang Starr FreeStyleGames "Poison" Bell Biv DeVoe "Intergalactic" Beastie Boys DJ AM "Poison" Bell Biv DeVoe "Word Up!" Cameo FreeStyleGames "Poison (Beat Juggle)" Bell Biv DeVoe n/a n/a FreeStyleGames "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" Fedde Le Grand "I Can't Stop (David Penn Remix)" Sandy Rivera featuring David Penn FreeStyleGames "Robot Rock" Daft Punk "Al Naafiysh (The Soul)" Hashim The Scratch Perverts "Robot Rock" Daft Punk "We Will Rock You" Queen FreeStyleGames "Rockit" Herbie Hancock "Lapdance" N.E.R.D. Grandmaster Flash "Rockit (Beat Juggle)" Herbie Hancock n/a n/a FreeStyleGames "Satisfaction" Benny Benassi "Elements of Life" Tiësto FreeStyleGames "Short Circuit" Daft Punk "Jack of Spades" Boogie Down Productions FreeStyleGames "Shout" Tears for Fears "Eric B. Is President" Eric B. & Rakim DJ Jazzy Jeff "Shout" Tears for Fears "Pjanoo" Eric Prydz FreeStyleGames "Shout" Tears for Fears "Six Days (Remix)" DJ Shadow featuring Mos Def FreeStyleGames "Shut 'Em Down" Public Enemy "Where It's At" Beck FreeStyleGames "Six Days (Remix)" DJ Shadow "Annie's Horn" D-Code FreeStyleGames , The Vinyl Cut "Somebody Told Me" "Pjanoo" Eric Prydz FreeStyleGames "Strange Enough" N.A.S.A. featuring Karen O, ODB, & Fatlip "Theme from Shaft" Isaac Hayes FreeStyleGames "Technologic" Daft Punk "Cars" Gary Numan FreeStyleGames "Television Rules the Nation" Daft Punk "Hella Good" No Doubt FreeStyleGames "Tutti Frutti" Little Richard "Beats" Shlomo DJ Yoda "Universal Mind Control" Common "Jeep Ass Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir RMX)" Masta Ace The Scratch Perverts "Where It's At" Beck "Six Days (Remix)" DJ Shadow featuring Mos Def FreeStyleGames "Zulu Nation Throwdown" Afrika Bambaataa "Get Down" Freedom Express FreeStyleGames
Downloadable content