Hey everyone,
It’s time to introduce yet another Weekly Challenge! The gnomes that suggest our topics have delivered yet another hit, and that only comes with a small amount of bias. We’re trying a new thing out, where we build lists from taste, rather than conditions. It may or may not happen again (it will), so we’ll be giving you a look into the mind and taste of employees with each Top Pick Challenge. We hope you enjoy them!
For the Challenge starting 1/12, the name of the game is Derek’s Top Picks! In what can only be called a complete coincidence, I get to be the one to choose what songs are in the Spotlight and apply for Crew XP. Having started with the original Rock Band the Christmas after launch, I have plenty of fond memories with launch songs, and kept up with the series through the years. Now, a decade on, my personal library includes every DLC song, so I’ve given it all a chance and know what works for me. I’m partial to alternative and indie choices, though my taste stretches across the library. So with that, let’s get to the list of my favorite songs…
Weekly Challenge Artists and Songs:
30 Seconds to Mars – “The Kill”: A song I’ve had for quite a while, it’s been a constant companion in acquiring the ’90 continuous seconds of Overdrive’ Achievements through the series.
Aerosmith – “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”: Armageddon was a great movie.
Bon Jovi – “Runaway”: It takes both hands, but I can play that main synth riff at speed on a real piano. It’s one of three piano bits I can play.
Coldplay - “Adventure of a Lifetime”, “Hymn for the Weekend”: A personal favorite band of mine, as many of you know.
Dixie Chicks – “Sin Wagon”: Some of the most fun you can have on guitar, the variety of stringed instruments played (and the speed they’re played at) make for a challenge.
Green Day – American Idiot (album): American Idiot is the first album I ever bought with my own money. Yes, some of you may feel quite old now. It’s still one of my favorite full albums in Rock Band.
The Killers – “Spaceman”: A party hit for many years, the drum solo is tons of fun.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Gimme Three Steps”: The chord pattern in this song was QUITE the hurdle back in the day, and finally getting down the movements was an accomplishment.
The Main Drag – “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter”: One of the best ‘in-house’ Harmonix bands. Just a great indie song.
No Doubt – “Tragic Kingdom”: One of the most overall fun songs in Rock Band, a perfect example of the game helping you appreciate songs more.
Oh Honey – “Sugar, You”: A discovery in the Rock Band 4 era for me, I adore this band now.
Pat Benatar – “Love Is a Battlefield”: Dude, she rocks.
Paul McCartney & Wings – “Band on the Run”: I think it’s one of the best songs ever written. For gameplay, it changes up regularly, making it even better.
Pearl Jam – Ten (album): No one has ever not had fun playing this album.
Pixies – Doolittle (album): Being considered one of the main influences on the ‘90s sound, and the ‘90s sound being great, well that makes it pretty good.
Queens of the Stone Age – “3’s and 7’s”: Really fun guitar riff that doesn’t get old. Feels good to play.
Santana (ft. Rob Thomas) – “Smooth”: I don’t have all the room I need to give this song its due, but suffice it to say, it’s a ‘90s classic that always comes back.
SpongeBob SquarePants – “Where’s Gary?”: A sleeper party hit, I will never forget one of my friends dropping to his knees and screaming, “WHERE’S GARY!?” into the mic by the end of the song.
Symphony X – “Nevermore”: The latest hill I have to climb on guitar, tons of fun and a great song.
Thin Lizzy – “The Boys Are Back in Town (Live)”: An excellent live cut of a great song, among my most-played tracks.
To go with these specifics, I’m also including selections from the following bands for just being plain ol’ fun:
.38 Special – “Hold On Loosely”
All That Remains – “All That Remains Pack 01”
The Allman Brothers Band – “Blue Sky”
Alphabeat – “Fascination"
Angels & Airwaves – “It Hurts”
Avril Lavigne – “My Happy Ending”
The B-52’s – “Roam”
BABYMETAL – “Gimme Chocolate!!”
Big Dipper – “Big Dipper Pack 01”
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Weapon of Choice”
Black Tide – “Shockwave”
Blitz Kids – “Run for Cover”
BØRNS – “Electric Love”
Boston – “Rock and Roll Band”
Catfish and the Bottlemen – “Cocoon”
Chicago – “If You Leave Me Now”
The Clash – “Train in Vain (Stand by Me)”
Coheed and Cambria – “The Running Free”
Cross Canadian Ragweed – “Cry Lonely”
Dear and the Headlights – “Sweet Talk”
Disturbed – “Inside the Fire”
The Doobie Brothers – “Listen to the Music”
Duran Duran – “The Reflex”
Eagle-Eye Cherry – “Save Tonight”
Eve 6 – “Inside Out”
A Flock of Seagulls – “I Ran (So Far Away)”
Foreigner – “Foreigner Pack 01”
Foster the People – “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)”, “Helena Beat”
The Fratellis – “The Fratellis Pack 01”
Gin Blossoms – “Found Out About You”, “Hey Jealousy”
Good Charlotte – “The Anthem”
Hautewerk – “Hautewerk Pack 01”
Hootie & The Blowfish – “Hootie & The Blowfish Pack 01”
Hot Hot Heat – “Bandages”
Huey Lewis and The News – “Do You Believe in Love”
In This Moment – “Forever”
The Jam – "Town Called Malice”
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – “All Along the Watchtower”
Jimmy Eat World – “My Best Theory”, “Sweetness”
Judas Priest – “The Hellion / Electric Eye”
Kaiser Chiefs – “I Predict a Riot”
Kenny Rogers – “The Gambler”
L7 – “Andres”
Linkin Park – “New Divide”
Live – “I Alone”, “Lightning Crashes”
Maroon 5 – “This Love”
Matchbox Twenty – “3AM”, “Bent”
Maxïmo Park – “Girls Who Play Guitars”
Megadeth – “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due”
Men at Work – “Overkill”
Ministry – “Ministry Pack 01”
Mission of Burma – “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver”
Mute Math – “Typical”, “Control”
Neon Trees – “1983”
The New Pornographers – “All the Things That Go to Make Heaven and Earth”, “Use It”
Night Ranger – “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”
Nine Inch Nails – “March of the Pigs”
Of Monsters and Men – “Little Talks”
Orleans – “Still the One”
Peter Cetera – “Glory of Love”
Phoenix – “1901”, “Lisztomania”
Queen – “Queen Pack 01”, “Queen Extravaganza Pack 01”
R.E.M. – “Radio Free Europe”, “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”
REO Speedwagon – “Keep On Loving You”, “Roll with the Changes”, “Take It on the Run”
Rick Springfield – “Don’t Talk to Strangers”, “I’ve Done Everything for You”
Semisonic – “Closing Time”
Shaimus – “Tie You Down”
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Shinedown – “Devour”
The Shins – “New Slang”
Silversun Pickups – “Melatonin”, “Well Thought Out Twinkles”
Sister Hazel – “All for You”
Sleater-Kinney – “You’re No Rock N Roll Fun”
The Smithereens – “A Girl Like You”
Sonic Youth – “Kool Thing”
Steely Dan – “Black Friday”, “My Old School”
The Stone Roses – “Love Spreads”
Taking Back Sunday – “Taking Back Sunday Pack 01”
Tears for Fears – “Shout”
Third Eye Blind – “Jumper”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Don’t Do Me Like That”
Tonic – “If You Could Only See”
U2 – “California (There Is No End to Love)”, “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)”, “Where the Streets Have No Name”
Vertical Horizon – “Everything You Want”
Walk the Moon – “Different Colors”
The Wild Feathers – “Backwoods Company”
Willie Nelson – “On the Road Again”
If you look closely in your song library, you may even notice a few other choices of mine, so keep an eye out for that W notation this week. Enjoy the Challenge!