Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock remains a definitive milestone in the rhythm game genre. When Neversoft took over development from Harmonix, the series saw a significant shift in both difficulty and song selection. The game features 73 songs on the base disc, ranging from classic rock staples to the most punishing heavy metal tracks ever featured in the franchise. This comprehensive guide breaks down the full guitar hero three tracklist, organized by career tiers, bonus content, and special game modes.

The Shift to Master Recordings

One of the most notable aspects of the Guitar Hero III tracklist is the increased use of master recordings. In previous iterations, the series relied heavily on cover versions produced by WaveGroup. In this third installment, the majority of the tracks are the original recordings by the primary artists. This transition significantly enhanced the audio quality and authenticity of the gameplay experience, allowing players to feel closer to the actual "legends of rock."

However, some tracks remain as highly accurate covers due to licensing constraints or the loss of original multi-track recordings. These include classics like "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" and "Barracuda." Understanding the distinction between these covers and the master tracks is essential for long-time enthusiasts of the series.

Single Player Career: Tier by Tier Breakdown

The main career mode is divided into eight tiers, representing the player's journey from playing small clubs to performing in legendary venues and eventually battling for their soul in a supernatural showdown.

Tier 1: Starting Out Small

This tier introduces players to the basic mechanics with mid-tempo tracks that focus on simple chord changes and rhythm.

  • Foghat – "Slow Ride"
  • Poison – "Talk Dirty to Me"
  • Pat Benatar – "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"
  • Social Distortion – "Story of My Life"
  • Encore: KISS – "Rock and Roll All Nite"

Tier 2: Your First Real Gig

The difficulty begins to ramp up slightly, introducing more complex riffs and the first Boss Battle of the game.

  • Mountain – "Mississippi Queen"
  • Alice Cooper – "School's Out"
  • Cream – "Sunshine of Your Love"
  • Heart – "Barracuda"
  • Boss Battle: Tom Morello – "Guitar Battle"
  • Encore: Rage Against the Machine – "Bulls on Parade"

Tier 3: Making the Video

Tier 3 emphasizes alternative rock and more modern sounds, requiring better dexterity on the fretboard.

  • The Killers – "When You Were Young"
  • AFI – "Miss Murder"
  • The Who – "The Seeker"
  • Priestess – "Lay Down"
  • Encore: The Rolling Stones – "Paint It, Black"

Tier 4: European Invasion

This tier features a heavy concentration of British rock and punk influence, increasing the tempo and the density of notes.

  • Black Sabbath – "Paranoid"
  • The Sex Pistols – "Anarchy in the U.K."
  • Sonic Youth – "Kool Thing"
  • Weezer – "My Name Is Jonas"
  • Encore: Pearl Jam – "Even Flow"

Tier 5: Big House Blues

Focusing on southern rock and blues-infused metal, this tier introduces the second iconic Boss Battle.

  • Dead Kennedys – "Holiday in Cambodia"
  • Scorpions – "Rock you Like a Hurricane"
  • Aerosmith – "Same Old Song and Dance"
  • ZZ Top – "La Grange"
  • Boss Battle: Slash – "Guitar Battle"
  • Encore: Guns N' Roses – "Welcome to the Jungle"

Tier 6: The Hottest Band on Earth

Here, the game starts to test endurance with longer tracks and intricate solos.

  • Santana – "Black Magic Woman"
  • Smashing Pumpkins – "Cherub Rock"
  • White Zombie – "Black Sunshine"
  • Tenacious D – "The Metal"
  • Encore: Stevie Ray Vaughan – "Pride and Joy"

Tier 7: Live in Japan

Tier 7 is often considered the first major wall for players on Expert difficulty, featuring high-speed alternative and metal tracks.

  • Slipknot – "Before I Forget"
  • Disturbed – "Stricken"
  • Queens of the Stone Age – "3's & 7's"
  • Muse – "Knights of Cydonia"
  • Encore: Living Colour – "Cult of Personality"

Tier 8: Battle for Your Soul

The final tier contains the most difficult songs in the main career, characterized by relentless speed and complex solo sections.

  • Slayer – "Raining Blood"
  • Eric Johnson – "Cliffs of Dover"
  • Iron Maiden – "The Number of the Beast"
  • Metallica – "One"
  • Final Boss: Lou – "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"

Co-op Career Exclusive Tracks

Guitar Hero III introduced a dedicated Co-op Career mode where two players take on the roles of Lead Guitar and Bass/Rhythm Guitar. While most songs are shared with the single-player mode, there are six exclusive encores that can only be played in this mode (unless unlocked via cheat codes).

  1. Tier 1 Encore: Beastie Boys – "Sabotage"
  2. Tier 2 Encore: The Strokes – "Reptilia"
  3. Tier 3 Encore: Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Suck My Kiss"
  4. Tier 4 Encore: Blue Öyster Cult – "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll"
  5. Tier 5 Encore: Bloc Party – "Helicopter"
  6. Tier 6 Encore: Matchbook Romance – "Monsters"

These tracks were chosen specifically for their engaging bass lines and rhythmic interplay, making them a highlight for local multiplayer sessions.

The Unlockable Bonus Tracks

Beyond the main setlist, the game features 25 bonus tracks that can be purchased using in-game currency earned through Career Mode. These songs often come from independent bands or are featured because of their technical complexity.

  • An Endless Sporadic – "Impulse"
  • Backyard Babies – "Minus Celsius"
  • Bret Michaels Band – "Go That Far"
  • Die Toten Hosen – "Hier Kommt Alex"
  • DragonForce – "Through the Fire and Flames"
  • The Fall of Troy – "F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X."
  • Gallows – "In the Belly of a Shark"
  • The Hellacopters – "I'm in the Band"
  • Heroes del Silencio – "Avalancha"
  • In Flames – "Take This Life"
  • Kaiser Chiefs – "Ruby"
  • Killswitch Engage – "My Curse"
  • LA Slum Lords – "Down 'n Dirty"
  • Lacuna Coil – "Closer"
  • Lions – "Metal Heavy Lady"
  • Naast – "Mauvais Garçon"
  • Prototype – "The Way It Ends"
  • Revolverheld – "Generation Rock"
  • Rise Against – "Prayer of the Refugee"
  • Scouts of St. Sebastian – "In Love"
  • Senses Fail – "Can't Be Saved"
  • The Sleeping – "Don't Hold Back"
  • The Stone Roses – "She Bangs the Drums"
  • Superbus – "Radio Song"
  • Dope – "Nothing for Me Here"

Notably, "Through the Fire and Flames" by DragonForce is only playable after defeating the game's final boss. It plays during the credits and remains the most iconic challenge in the history of the franchise due to its extreme tempo and length.

Boss Battles: A New Gameplay Dimension

Guitar Hero III introduced the concept of the "Boss Battle." Instead of just hitting notes to keep a meter high, players use power-ups (similar to Battle Mode) to sabotage their opponent. The tracks used for these battles are unique to the game.

  • Tom Morello Battle: This track was composed specifically for the game, featuring the signature scratching and effects-heavy style Tom Morello is known for.
  • Slash Battle: A fast-paced blues-rock duel that highlights melodic shredding.
  • Lou's Battle: A heavy metal arrangement of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," performed by Steve Ouimette. This track is considered one of the hardest songs to pass in the series because of the aggressive power-up mechanics used by the AI.

Difficulty Analysis and Curve

The tracklist is carefully curated to lead the player through a learning curve. In Tier 1, the note density is low, and the speed is manageable even on Hard or Expert. By Tier 5, players are expected to have mastered the "orange fret" and basic hammer-ons and pull-offs.

The real jump in difficulty occurs between Tier 6 and Tier 7. Songs like "Before I Forget" and "Knights of Cydonia" require a high level of rhythmic consistency. Tier 8 is purely about technical proficiency. "Raining Blood" features a "Mosh 1" section that serves as a gatekeeper for many aspiring experts, while "One" tests the player's ability to handle rapid-fire triplets during the infamous solo section.

Downloadable Content (DLC) Legacy

While the 73 songs on the disc provided hundreds of hours of entertainment, the tracklist was significantly expanded through Downloadable Content on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Over 59 additional songs were released via DLC, including packs from bands like Metallica, Aerosmith, and Foo Fighters.

Although many of these tracks are difficult to acquire today due to the aging of legacy digital storefronts, they represent an era where the Guitar Hero library was constantly evolving. Popular DLC packs included the "Modern Metal Track Pack" and the "Classic Rock Track Pack," which added longevity to the game well after the main career was completed.

The Technical Art of the Charting

In the context of the guitar hero three tracklist, "charting" refers to how the musical notes are mapped to the game's five colored buttons. Neversoft's charting style in GH3 was criticized by some as being "over-charted" (adding more notes than are actually played on the guitar) but praised by others for creating a more intense, arcade-like experience.

This style is most evident in songs like "Cult of Personality" and "The Number of the Beast," where the fast riffs are translated into rapid-fire note patterns that require precise timing. This aggressive charting is what helped GH3 earn its reputation as the most challenging game in the original series.

Summary of Key Statistics

  • Total Disc Songs: 73
  • Career Tiers: 8
  • Unlockable Bonus Tracks: 25
  • Boss Battles: 3
  • Co-op Exclusives: 6
  • Master Recordings: ~70% of the setlist

This tracklist succeeded because it balanced mainstream appeal with deep cuts that challenged the most dedicated players. Whether it is the opening chords of "Slow Ride" or the final, grueling notes of "Through the Fire and Flames," the songs of Guitar Hero III defined the peak of the plastic instrument era.