What Song Would You Like to Hear in a Tony Hawk Game Soundtrack?
COMMUNITY QUESTION | We know what's in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake now, so let's suggest other tracks.
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The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater games, and by extension soundtracks, were pretty formative for a lot of us on team USgamer. This week, we learned about the tracklist for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, the upcoming remake of the first two games in the series. There was some good news: Most of the original tracks are returning.
The other news came in the 37 new tracks that are joining the classics. Punk bands, rappers, ska groups, and more were announced as new additions to the soundtrack, keeping in line with the expected genres for the series. It got us all thinking about what songs we'd like to see in a Tony Hawk game. So tell us in the comments: What song do you think would fit perfectly on the tracklist of a Tony Hawk Game?
Mike Williams, Reviews Editor
I pretty much am going to treat this like " What song would you like to see in a new Burnout/SSX game?" since I wasn't the biggest fan of the original Tony Hawk titles. I also don't generally listen to the alternative rock that usually categorizes what I associate with Tony Hawk or other sport-ish games of that era. Instead, I'll drop some J-pop in there and walk away. Kenshi Yonezu recently released a track called "Kanden" that might be in the range, but I think an older track of his, "Loser" would fit pretty well. Alternatively, I'll go back to my K-pop roots and just pick a single I'd personally listen to: WayV - "Turn Back Time." It's a jam.
Eric Van Allen, News Editor
Full disclosure: I think about this a lot. Not about Tony Hawk specifically, but the use of licensed music in games. Good use of licensed music gets a tone across immediately, and I'm not sure anyone does this better than Tony Hawk. These games, especially the early ones we all talk about and not the later ones we don't speak of, embody skate culture so well.
I had a few ideas, like a few indie jams I thought might suit the vibe of coasting around on a board. Or maybe something modern and poppy with a groove. But I'd want something I can halfpipe to, and a little heavier. So I picked one of my favorite Courtney Barnett songs, "Pedestrian at Best," which sounds so much like a Tony Hawk song I can't believe it isn't one yet.
Caty McCarthy, Senior Editor
When I saw that FIDLAR was going to be on the new Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 soundtrack, my mind immediately went to another punk band I loved during FIDLAR's early 2010s-reign: Joyce Manor. I think anything off Joyce Manor's self-titled album would find itself at home in a Tony Hawk game, but for the sake of this Community Question, I'm offering up "Orange Julius," a feverish song that's barely over a minute long—perfect for a long combo. Alternatively, could easily see Danny Brown popping up on a Tony Hawk soundtrack. Make it happen, Activision.