Now, undoubtedly you’re going to disagree with at least one part of this list (and it is a list, not a countdown. The numbers mean nothing.) — probably #6. If you do disagree, let us know what songs you feel should have been in one of these games by now. After all, we’re sure to have missed a few — and we need fuel to compile a “Volume II” list, so… chop chop.

[NOTE: All Guitar Hero videos are using custom boards for the PC version of GH2]

10.) Soundgarden – Jesus Christ Pose

Soundgarden was my favorite band growing up, and this is without question their loudest, fastest, hardest song. Just imagine six minutes of intense fret mashin’ with no time to relax. It’d just be brutal after about four minutes for most, and to think that Kim Thayil (lead guitar) was able to keep up for damn near six is just insane.

Oh, and if this did wind up in Rock Band… good luck with trying to emulate Chris Cornell’s vocals.

9.) Dethklok – Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle

Sure, it’s only about a minute and a half, but the guitar solo that comprises the last twenty seconds of the most metal coffee jingle in history more than makes up for it. Besides, if you’re going to have DragonForce in a Guitar Hero game, it would only serve to balance the forces of the universe if Rock Band featured their animated rivals, don’t you think?

8.) Eric Clapton – Cocaine

Why won’t you ever see “Cocaine” in Guitar Hero or Rock Band? Gee, I wonder. Let’s thing about that for a second, shall we? Could it be that the first lyric talks about getting a chick high so you can bag her? Or maybe the mass glorification of the as a whole? That may have something to do with it.

Which is a damn shame, too, because this is one of the best guitar solos ever recorded.

7.) Megadeth – Washington is Next

Megadeth’s “Washington is Next” is is on this list for one reason, and one reason alone: The solo. Yes, the majority of the song is your cookie cutter hard rock affair, but the guitar solo that kicks in at the 3:10 mark is simply sick. It’s fairly short, but it would if you could ace that on Expert then you would truly earn the right to call yourself a Metal God… so long as you keep it in context… to the game… yeah.

Awesome song.

6.) Buckethead – Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers

Don’t let the suckage of the video maker throw you off – that song would be bad ass to throw down to. After all, who here doesn’t have some memory of sitting down in front of the television, flipping the channel to Fox Kids and watching those spandex-clad racial stereotypes beat the piss out of a giant, man-eating frog? I know I do – and the original Pink Ranger is still a fox.

Besides, it was recorded by this guy. How can you go wrong with that?

5.) Bad Religion – Punk Rock Song

Bad Religion. One of the greatest bands to ever step into the recording studio… couldn’t make a good music video (What the hell’s with the meat?) to save their lives. Either way, “Punk Rock Song” is one of their many songs that scream to be adapted for Guitar Hero or Rock Band, because it’s fairly short, fast, and will keep everybody busy.

Harmonix tried to capture Bad Religion in Guitar Hero II, but let’s be honest — “Infected” isn’t exactly prime GH music. All the same, that’s no reason to not go back and try again.

4.) Dueling Banjos

While the video above is certainly admirable, I really have a hard time trying to figure out exactly how either GH or RB would be able to properly pull off this song in any Single Player. Then it dawned on me: Duel. This would be the best song to face off with a friend to, with each of you taking control of one of the banjos.

As for single player? Perhaps you could let the player pick which chord they want to play in, or somethin’. I don’t know, I don’t care. It just needs to happen.

3.) Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode

How does this song continuously get overlooked? Yeah, it’s old as hell and the original artist got caught video taping women on the can, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the song has one of the single most recognizable riffs in the history of music.

Besides, as the video implies, it’ll be as close as we’ll ever get to being a vest-sportin’ teenage time traveler. If that doesn’t motivate you, then I don’t know what else to say.

2.) Eddie Van Halen – Eruption

Shut up and listen. Seriously, I’ll give you a minute…

…

…do you see why this desperately needs to be included in Guitar Hero or Rock Band? If you thought “Through the Fire and Flames” kicked your ass, this would leave you sobbing on the living room carpet. But just remember one thing: If Activision or EA really wanted to make you cry, they’d include this version. Eddie Van Halen. The Greatest. Ever.

And now, for our #1…

1.) Led Zepplin – ANYTHING!

“Stairway to Heaven”, “Kashmir” (video above), “Heartbreaker”… something! Anything! But no – Zepplin has been sitting on their library for some time now, refusing to license any of their songs to either Activision (Guitar Hero) or Electronic Arts (Rock Band). Which is bullshit, I might add.

I can understand Robert Plant’s reluctance, but Jimmy Page? Really? The same Jimmy Page that let P. Diddy use a sample of “Kashmir” in his abomination for the Godzilla soundtrack? You’re going to let that plight against music go unpunished, but we can’t play pretend with a plastic Mattel controller?

What the hell, man?