@@ralphadamato dude you guys literally changed my life. Listening to ST and DK blew my mind, then watching mullen skating to bad religion? I would sit and watch it over and over and I knew it was something amazing. Cheers for that!
Yep. I knew every pixel of that level. I got to where I could score in the 90k-100k range on that level. Which was pretty hard given that you couldn't manual to combine tricks like in the subsequent games.
The soundtracks for THPS & THPS2 were, and still are absolutely god-tier and are easily the biggest entry points into these genres for millennials. Also pretty rad Millencolin got the nod, _Pennybridge Pioneers_ is a really solid and fun album from that era of skatepunk. 👍🏼
This series and the Need for Speed games were also very influential for some of my music tastes in the early to mid-2000's. In fact, I think you should make a video about the Need for Speed games (Especially Underground 1, Underground 2 and Most Wanted) because the soundtracks of these games also had a big impact on music on that era.
Dave Mirra's Freestyle BMX and THPS 3 were the pinnacle of my childhood for extreme sports games. Soundtracks were incredible. I still have visions of the Cruise Ship and Airport.
as a kid i credit Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, and GTA Vice City and San Andreas being what really got me into alot of my early music tastes. (also being a younger sibling lol. the older siblings had some influence too.)
Wow are you me? THPS -> punk and hip-hop, GH/RB -> metal and rock, GTAVC -> 80s pop. Throw Fallout 3 in there as well. Made me appreciate 30s-50s pop and classical more. Also, I'm sure people found music they like through other sports games too.
YESSS. Same here! GTA was essential with the soundtracks too. I was also the youngest and neither my brother nor my sister were into rock music. My brother was always hip-hop/rap while my sister listened to a lot of reggaeton, dancehall, and rnb. I was the black sheep that got into punk and all the alternative stuff as well as electronic music. But man, the Tony Hawk and GTA series definitely helped me appreciate a variety of music. Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra. Forever grateful for that
Got that masterpiece from a garage sale for $10 in 2002 absolutely loved everything about it and I’ve never been a skater in my life. I was in love with the soundtrack and as I got into Metal I realized thanks to that game I knew a few bands already like Papa Roach and RATM
God, yes, a buddy showed me THPS 3 way back then and the first song that came on was AFI - The Boy who Destroyed the World and it was a really "WTF is this, this is great"-moment. Still love this band.
There is just something so special about late 90s//00s music and skate/snow culture to look back on and just be happy I was there to witness it. THPS was undoubtedly a massive part of this. Thanks for this one Finn!
THPS1 only had 2-minute time trials, so I actually didn't know all of these songs actually went past 2 minutes. I literally never heard the full version of songs like Superman and Jerry was a Racecar Driver until 2006.
The Hip-Hop music in the THPS games ABSOLUTELY had an impact on me and many others. “B-Boy Document ‘99” on THPS 2 holds a special place in my heart as it introduced me to Mos Def, one of the best lyricists of all time. These games opened a world of underground hip-hop that me and my friends would have never heard on the radio at the time we were playing these games like Cannibal Ox, Anacron, Busdriver, Aceyalone, Murs, & Styles of Beyond. It also served as a Hip-Hop history lesson with the inclusion of the greatest pillars of the entire genre. “The World is Yours” by Nas, “Mass Appeal” by GangStarr, “Rappers Delight” by Sugarhill Gang, “Express Yourself” by NWA…the list goes on and on. I would’ve never become as big of a Hip-Hop head as I am now if it weren’t for THPS.
Oh man, B-Boy Document 99 is probably the first rap song i fell in love with. Before that i liked some rap rock but because of that tune i started seeking out more hip hop. Also became a fan of Mos Def. Black On Both Sides is an alt-hiphop classic.
i'd be lying if I said I would have never gotten into rock music had it not been for tony hawks pro skater since my older sister was into rock and she definitely had an influence on me growing up but tony hawks pro skater definitely shaped my music taste as an individual. while my sister liked mall pop punk music like good charlotte, sum 41, avenged sevenfold and "new" AFI (new at the time), I fell more into the traditional punk music like suicidal tendencies, the ramones, old AFI, black flag, dead kennedys, johnny thunders etc. To this day I still love those bands though nowadays I listen to more ska than anything else since the positive vibes it gives just makes my day better.
For me it was Bad Religion - You. I remember being 8 and loving that song on the game. I didn’t directly start listening to music after that. I didn’t really listen to any music until I was 13 or 14 but I fully believe that song planted the seed to liking punk and metal when I got older.
I remember turning off the sound effects and turn the music volume all the way up in the settings. All the songs on that soundtrack are certified classics.
I can't accurately count how many bands I was introduced to by the Tony Hawk series. I can say the "American Wasteland" soundtrack will always be an absolute banger in its entirety.
THPS was literally the first video game I played as a kid, and I played it religiously for YEARS. It is 100% a huge contributing factor to my current music taste that consists of mostly post hardcore/metalcore/punk. Also worth mentioning, the THPS 1+2 remake that came out a year or two ago is by far the best return to form from the series since THPS: U. Super happy to see you talk about something so close to my childhood!
I'm one of those kids that got into Punk music because of THPS 2 and 3. Living in a rural area without a internet connection and long drives away from the next record store these two games provided me with so many great songs and I have very fond memories playing them.
Millencolin - Pennybridge Pioneers was the first album i ever bought when i was around 11 y/o because of THPS2. Still a killer album and The Ballad was the song of my highschool years and no song has ever spoken to me more in my life.
Love this video! I spent the majority of my highschool years sitting in the back of class with my backpack propped up to hide the fact that I was playing Tony Hawk's 1&2 and Underground 2 on my PSP, and not listening to a word the teacher said. My PSP was modded with a plugin that let you listen to your own music, so I'd fill it head-to-toe with all the punk that I listened to, as well as the soundtracks from the older games.
I'm really happy you decided to make this video. I was like 5 or so when I first started playing all the Tony Hawk Games, and I remember being so obsessed with the soundtrack. There would be days I didn't actually want to play the game, rather boot up "Free Skate", sit still, and just listen. I know they aren't everyone's favorite, but when I first heard Holiday by Green Day because it was in American Wasteland, I remember that being the first time I ever wanted to dig deep into a band's discography. Years upon years later, the first half of Green Day's catalog is my favorite band ever (lol), and my passion for creating/writing grows stronger and stronger. It truly is insane how games like Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero can really leave such a lasting impact on people that they can hold on to forever, just from the songs that coincidentally made it onto the soundtracks. Great video Finn!
I'd always been musically-inclined as a small child, but Tony Hawk's Underground came out around the time I was nine or ten years old, and that game was the nucleus for me wanting to actually become a musician. Their inclusion of KISS: the three songs from KISS Symphony, the bonus level, and the unlockable video clip from the KISS Symphony show, all led to me pestering my mom to buy me the KISS Symphony DVD. Up until this point, I'd only really been exposed to country music through my mom and grandmother, so this was a totally new world for me. Now I'm in my late 20's and I've been on tour, in recording studios, have met and played shows with some of my biggest influences, and it's still my life's calling. I even got to thank KISS for all of this in-person during a meet and greet a couple years ago. Thanks, Tony Hawk's Underground.
Usually I don't comment on videos, but this one moved something into myself. I just want to shot out to Dave Mitra freestyle BMX, another video game similar to this one who got me into punk rock. I'd never been who I am today without that game, the soundtrack was lit and I fell in love with this genere. Also shout out to Dave Mirra who is no longer with us, he took his life some years ago. I just wanna say thank you Dave, you changed my life and you don't even know.
The success of the Tony Hawk soundtracks also led to a trend of extreme sports games having these kinds of punk and alternative soundtracks. They weren't quite as iconic, but the soundtracks to Matt Hoffman Pro BMX, Dave Mirra Pro BMX ("Early in the morning..."), Kelly Slater Pro Surfer, etc were still very influential to a lot of people. But to me, the most important soundtrack outside of the Tony Hawk's series was easily SSX 3. The game was fantastic and HUGE, and there were courses that would take literally 30 real-time minutes to complete...all while listening to a soundtrack of pop punk, hip hop, funk, house, trance, and a DJ to let you know what they were all called. I don't think it was as vital to those artists' careers as Tony Hawk was to, say, Goldfinger, but it's how I discovered Yellowcard, Thrice, MxPx, The Faint, Ima Robot, The Chemical Brothers, and even Jane's Addiction (which I'd never paid attention to before then). So that's another thing we can thank THPS for.
Lol. I found Story Of The Year through the Need For Speed: Underground soundtrack. I was just getting into the post hardcore genre, and they led me to a LOT of even better bands.
I cannot tell you how many hours I've poured into the Tony Hawk series when I was younger. As well as GTA, The Sims (console and PC), and Guitar Hero/Rockband. All those titles had a chokehold on me in my formative years. To this day, I still bust them out whenever I'm in the mood for a video game
When I was first learning guitar, the songs in "THPS3" were very influential in my songwriting. I'd hear a song like "96 Quite Bitter Beings" or "Wish" and think to myself, "Wow, I wanna write something like that!" And so I'd set out to try and "recreate" the sound and style of those songs.
6:29 - This whole point CANNOT be overstated! Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was one of the very first games that used licensed songs as its soundtrack and played them all the way through. The only other games to do that up to this point were Madden and other similar sports games, and other than the menus (which you tried hard to find your way out of), you'd only hear snippets of each song when you scored a touchdown. Unless I'm mistaken, THPS was the first game that played these songs while you were playing the game, and so you got to hear all of them, all the way through. That exposure is the same reason why so many classic soundtracks from the 8 and 16-bit generations are so well known and well loved--they just never stopped playing.
I am a 28 year old woman who grew up playing (and watching my older brother play) the Tony Hawk games, and it completely molded my music taste - specifically with bands that I still consider my favorites like Sum 41, CKY, and AFI. I ended up in a ska band in high school and I blame Goldfinger. I have no idea what my music taste would be like without these games. Great video, Finn. I feel very seen lmao
Grew up just at the right age for all this, 12 years old, watch TH hit a 900, buy THPS and a PlayStation with paper route money, get so pumped that me and my friends go by boards and skate everyday. It was beautiful. Most of these songs are still on my “morning, time to get pumped” type playlists. What a life…
Born in 96. I play bass in a punk rock band. Ramones saved my life. And both things thanks to THPS. Im trying to be brief but i cant explain how the soudtrack of literally a videogame, changed my life and made a huge impact on me!
The Pro Skater series is almost entirely responsible for turning me on to music, I still listen to a lot of the songs on those soundtracks, they were a great escape from an overbearing, depressing Christian childhood
FINALLY. This channel is like 4 years old or whatever. So glad this video finally came out. I am absolutely one of those suburban kids that got introduced to punk via THPS2. Lagwagon in particular stuck with me.
the soundtrack for American Wasteland influenced my taste in music so much. easily one of my favorite games of all time even if it got a little too cartoony compared to the first two THPS titles. the soundtrack is just so superb and big enough that you don't get tired of the tracks or switch to your own music.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater is the reason I have my career today. It got me into skating in real life, then into the local punk / ska scene. Made my friends there that I still have to this day. Wanted to play music with them, but they were already good at their instruments. That made me decide I wanted to go to school for recording so I could at least do that for my friends. While at a tech school, ended up really clicking with video editing. Eventually I escaped Cincinnati moved to Los Angeles and within the past 8 years I've worked on 30 TV shows. Thank you, Tony Hawk.
Special shoutout to Thrasher Skate and Destroy on the PS1 which also did a good job of capturing skateboard culture right before the 1st Tony Hawk game came out. Also had a great old school hip hop soundtrack as well.
Underground 2 was the game that changed my life and music taste. I went back after that and played pro skater 2 and 3. I still listen to the soundtrack from time to time! But it overall got me into hardcore and metal as well as opened my eyes to rap music. I used to hate rap until THUG2
I remember when this game came out. Everyone knew I was an OG punk/ metal head. They’re all like “try it, you’ll love it! Suicidal Tendencies is in it!” I was like “man, if I wanna listen to ST I’ll just throw a cd on. I’ve got all their stuff.” One thing that I really DID love was the X-Games video for White Zombie’s More Human Than Human. Anyway Finn, great job getting me interested in the video in spite of my skin crawling revulsion of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. I enjoyed it!
This game really broke my heart at the time, cuz I knew people who'd previously ridiculed punk rock who suddenly started listening to DK and shit after this game helped make it cool. Between THPS, Blink 182, and Jackass, punk rock became THE predominant mainstream music trend for a few years, which bugged the shit out of me at the time because the lifestyle and ethic had literally saved my life and given me an identity a few years prior. Even my jock brother on the wrestling team who had previously talked vicious shit about my music taste suddenly started spiking his hair and blasting punk rock at his keg parties.
Who gives a fuck? They were wrong, and realized how good the music is. Sorry they were closed minded jerks before- but more fans for the bands mentioned is a good thing. Keeping bands hidden and underground only serves the purpose to jerk yourself off to being a hipster. Live and let live.
I'm impressed that you didn't acknowledge the FANTASTIC remake that is THSPS1+2. It is an absolute masterpiece with a huge, thriving community and has revived the franchise with great success.
Man, talk about nostalgia.... I played Skate or Die and so much THPS 2.... I was into punk and skateboarding before the game, but it definitely solidified some things. Didn't really think about it before this video. Great work, as always, Finn.
I got this game for Xmas with my PS1 in 1998-99 and it blew me away. Tons of amazing music I hadn’t heard but heard of the bands from magazines. I still listen to the soundtrack regularly
My father and my older brother are huge gamers, so they got me a video game for my birthday when I was really really young, and that game was Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. I’m 200% sure that having AFI blasting at my ear at such a young age was why I’m making music and watching you today. Guitar hero played a huge part too, but THPS was the reason I was interested in guitars in the first place
These games changed my life. I was about ten years old and a friend recommended me THPS2 (a family friend used to sell pirated PS1 games for £3 a piece; I was a poor kid and my parents couldn't afford the real copies). I said "I'm not really into skateboarding", and my friend said "I'm not, but this game's really good". I fell in love with it, I started skating and I would scower the soundtracks and download everything I loved off it. Rise Against, Zeke, Lagwagon, Fu Manchu, Hot Water Music, High On Fire, there's so many great bands I discovered through those games. 'No Cigar' by Millencolin makes me burn with nostalgia to this day. I honestly wouldn't be the same person without those games, and I owe so much to them. I feel really old talking about 'my generation', but those games really were a cultural milestone if you were a young kid in the early 00s who liked metal and punk.
Man! What an amazing time travel here. THPS1 and 2 had a HUGE impact in my life, for sure, and I'm thankful for the game for this. Whenever I listen to Superman my hands move like I'm playing my first Playstation 22-23 years ago. Thank you for this video!
I grew up playing Tony hawk's games (THPS 3 through to American wasteland) and You're literally spot on with everything. I was living in the middle east back then and these games literally started the punk/hardcore scene in countries like Qatar, UAE.
I had them all as a kid but 4 is where it really took off for me. I was 13 when it came out, so I was more competent as a gamer than I was before. Project 8 was where I lost interest, and proving ground was the final straw. As much as I loved THUG2 and THAW back in the day (I still have favourite songs that I discovered from those games), looking back, that's where I think it started to go downhill. THUG and 4 were my personal favourites because you could do so much more, I was also homeschooled at the time and had waaay more time to play them. This series did so much for me in terms of discovering who I was, and kept me busy for hours when I didn't have a huge amount of friends. For that, I will always be grateful. The recent reboot was incredible from top to bottom, it's just a shame we're not gonna get 3, 4 and THUG.
It was refreshing to see rock and punk and hiphop mixed up like that. That game really did turn me onto a bunch of new music. In my town, people were somewhat defined by their genre preference back in the day.
I was a little bit after this since I was born in 1999, but I totally agree with your point when it comes to hearing the songs over and over. That’s how I felt when it came to Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, what a great soundtrack, and that truly got me into the world of hard and punk rock when I was just 6 years old! Love your videos Finn! Keep on rocking brother🤘🏻
These games got me into punk rock as a 7 year old kid just like grand theft auto San Andreas got me into gangsta rap. Both of those game franchises really made an impact with their nearly flawless soundtracks
I picked up the remaster for the Switch last year. I couldn’t believe that after about 20 years I could seamlessly go back to nailing all of the tricks again. Yep, many hours were spent playing this game. I like that it influenced us to get out skating too. So when it was too dark outside to skate, we played THPS.
Tony Hawk made it for kids in the hood to love punk rock, ska, metal and classic rock… but opened our eyes to great hip hop too. Hearing Mos Def, Xzibit, Atmosphere, Redman, Public Enemy, Del the Funky Homosapian… it was pure hip hop… then hearing Jimmy Eat World, Suicidal Tendencies, Thursday, Dead Kennedy’s, Bad Religion, Goldfinger, Dead Kennedy’s, The Vandals, Zebrahead, Papa Roach, Fu Manchu, Dead Milkmen… Some of the coldest intros they’ve ever had.
Need For Speed (especially Underground) and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 through 4 introduced me to so many bands. It's how I found a lot of music I liked, tbh, and also helped me find out about new and old music from bands I already liked.
Honestly, the Tony Hawk games are directly responsible for introducing me to punk and metal and were probably the single biggest influence on my musical taste and trajectory as a 10-13 year old kid. It really only dawned on me recently just how much those games influenced me, I can pretty much single handedly point to THPS3 as kind of a watershed moment in my life, not only did it get me into skating which took up a huge portion of my teenage years, but also got me into music that I would have otherwise probably never have come across.
Good call on THPS2 being the one that really hit the nail on the head. And good call on Millencolin, although, that was the no. 2 song for me and my brother and friends. You only touched on the Lagwagon "May 16" song which I remember as being almost all of my peers' favorite. Lagwagon didn't carry well much into the new millenium, but at the time, a much liked 'melodic punk' band (as we termed them back then). Great synopsis as always. Keep up the excellent work.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 had THE best soundtrack! Christ, I miss those days... No bills, no debt, no divorce, only one surgery, and I could pretend I knew literally ANYTHING about skateboarding. Love the content, Finn!
Pro Skater 2 when Anthrax/Public Enemy and a few other bangers came on, I used to sometimes just stop for a little bit, turn my audio up and just jam lol....I was like 13
Not me waiting the whole video for you to mention MCR's cover of Astro Zombies. Such a timeless classic for me. I didn't become a big Misfits fan until several years later, but that cover definitely piqued my interest and holds a special place in my heart. Such fond memories. I still remember playing American Wasteland in my Primary School's computer lab as a kid. And on the weekends at my skater buddy's place on PS2. Takes me right back. 🥰
Great video. I cant tell you how many hours my brother and I and our buddies spent playing Tony Hawk and Twisted Metal on PS1. We already liked punk music and metal music from Dirtbike movies like Moto XXX who had Sepultura, 59 times the pain etc...but this game was basically like a Punk O Rama compilation and there was a couple oddballs in there like Primus. Twisted Metal had a good soundtrack too. White Zombie, Pitchshifter, Filter to name a few. 90s was the shit.
This video, well the bits about THPS 1 & 2, is 100% accurate. I am one of those kids. I've got the re-release collectors board on my wall because I consider that this game changed the course of my life. I still listen to all the bands and have seen many of them over the years, it got me in to the Punk & Ska scene, it shaped me and my life.
So happy you made a video on the THPS franchise because it’s the entire reason I got into punk music and skateboarding. It’s also the reason I got into backpack rap but I think it’s because where I got my first exposure to it and went down the rabbit hole . Love the video man \m/
These games have definitely been the largest influence on my music taste. Not The Same by Bodyjar has been my favorite song ever since I was a 5 year old playing THPS3 on my gamecube
Tony hawks underground 2 will always be my favorite Tony hawk game of all time, I had so many hours playing it and beat it in career mode and classic mode
Great video! This game was important for me and my friends back in the day. We lived in a small strict Christian community. My mom was "rebellious" enough to let us play select video games. I use to love to free skate just to listen to the music.
Thank you for covering this. I enjoyed that you actually covered some important aspects that the music really exposed and gave people a taste of a bit of the skater culture. As a skateboarder I appreciate this and hope it will inspire more people to skate or cheer us on.
Bro, aldo as a young boy I was skating before I've ever played Tony Hawk's; you've nailed down everything how I experienced this game. This game brought me into punk and I owe this game a lot. Good episode!!!!!!!
Never played the Tony Hawk games as a kid, but I had kind of the same experience with the MX vs ATV games, really great rock/punk soundtracks which pretty firmly cemented my love for this sort of music.
THPS 1-3 was a massive part of my childhood. Countless hours spent with my brothers and friends and for sure my gateway into alternative music. I still listen to the soundtracks today.
One REALLY important testament to the original 2 games - they recently were remade from the ground up (graphically), given a few sensible quality of life changes and yet they kept most of the original soundtrack. It’s a giant affirmation of every element of the game - not only was it designed beautifully, but the music was as integral to the design as the tricks and level layouts were. Great episode, per usual Finn.
Seriously I came to know so many amazing bands from games like THPS, Burnout, Need for Speed and Guitar Hero. Whoever first made the decision to sync punk/pop punk/hardcore bands in video games was a pure genius and a revolutionary
THUG,THUG2 and American Wasteland where were I discovered the series and really got into music at 7…15 years later I’m still playing and listening to these. Thanks for making a video on one of my favorite series!
Thanks for shouting out the SEGA Dreamcast! It's where I played Tony Hawk 1 & 2 as well .... however I eventually fell in love with Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX and know all it's songs instead :D
Come hang out in the Discord! discord.gg/9GbTq4d8Pe
What's your opinion on the THPS 1+2 Remake and it introducing itself to a new generation of gamers?
can you do a video on 311?
j@@shanem1771 lol lol lol kkk nnmnk mm BBB BBB
THANKS for the kind words! We had a blast creating the soundtracks and it's awesome to hear how it impacted people. Cheers!
Holy crap you was on the team that creating the soundtrack for the THPS games?
@@elcheekoful yeah I was the producer on the team.
@@ralphadamato thats so sick man thanks for creating a part of my chidhood and getting me into punk and ska lol
@@michaellewis1017 thanks for enjoying the games!
@@ralphadamato dude you guys literally changed my life. Listening to ST and DK blew my mind, then watching mullen skating to bad religion? I would sit and watch it over and over and I knew it was something amazing. Cheers for that!
You have many iconic moments in games, hearing Goldfinger's Superman and going down that first ramp is so legendary.
I could hear those loud ass wheels rolling down the ramp as I read your comment
Pick it up pick it up pick it up pick it up
Music really kicks in as you slam through that glass!!!
I remember playing THPS on a demo disc from Pizza Hut before the game was even out. My friends and I played that first level for hours 😂
Same bro
Yup, that 1st level was so fun, Primus was the band..
I had the PS1 demo disk that had I think Splinter Cell, THPS1, and a few others. No idea where it came from any more.
Yep. I knew every pixel of that level. I got to where I could score in the 90k-100k range on that level. Which was pretty hard given that you couldn't manual to combine tricks like in the subsequent games.
Played that warehouse level on that demo more that any other Ps1 game, no exaggeration.
The soundtracks for THPS & THPS2 were, and still are absolutely god-tier and are easily the biggest entry points into these genres for millennials.
Also pretty rad Millencolin got the nod, _Pennybridge Pioneers_ is a really solid and fun album from that era of skatepunk. 👍🏼
That album is one of the only albums I can listen to where the ruthless autotune doesn't bug me. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
I still listen to Close But No Cigar and it’s strictly because of THPS2
This series and the Need for Speed games were also very influential for some of my music tastes in the early to mid-2000's. In fact, I think you should make a video about the Need for Speed games (Especially Underground 1, Underground 2 and Most Wanted) because the soundtracks of these games also had a big impact on music on that era.
I probably would not be watching this channel if not for those games
Throw Burnout 3 in there and that's bingo for me.
@@rowly1985 and! Smackdown vs Raw games!
@@ventoPS Smackdown vs Raw that's where I found Killswitch and Alter Bridge
Skindred!
Dave Mirra's Freestyle BMX and THPS 3 were the pinnacle of my childhood for extreme sports games. Soundtracks were incredible. I still have visions of the Cruise Ship and Airport.
Dave Mirras soundtrack was so sick. Rancid, millencolin, nofx...
as a kid i credit Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, and GTA Vice City and San Andreas being what really got me into alot of my early music tastes. (also being a younger sibling lol. the older siblings had some influence too.)
@HEY!YO!IT'S!RAZORCLA(E)W no. Just heard many of my favorite bands for the first time in these games. Primus. Nine Inch Nails. Soundgarden. Etc.
TH Underground 2 got me into Frank Sinatra haha
Wow are you me? THPS -> punk and hip-hop, GH/RB -> metal and rock, GTAVC -> 80s pop. Throw Fallout 3 in there as well. Made me appreciate 30s-50s pop and classical more. Also, I'm sure people found music they like through other sports games too.
YESSS. Same here! GTA was essential with the soundtracks too. I was also the youngest and neither my brother nor my sister were into rock music. My brother was always hip-hop/rap while my sister listened to a lot of reggaeton, dancehall, and rnb.
I was the black sheep that got into punk and all the alternative stuff as well as electronic music. But man, the Tony Hawk and GTA series definitely helped me appreciate a variety of music. Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra. Forever grateful for that
Lol all the twisted metals, test drives and jet moto got me into alot of bands
THPS2 is probably the pinnacle of the series, but I loved all the flat ground stuff you could do in underground, so it was the one I played the most
Theee Wwwyzzyrd-duh!
Got that masterpiece from a garage sale for $10 in 2002 absolutely loved everything about it and I’ve never been a skater in my life. I was in love with the soundtrack and as I got into Metal I realized thanks to that game I knew a few bands already like Papa Roach and RATM
God, yes, a buddy showed me THPS 3 way back then and the first song that came on was AFI - The Boy who Destroyed the World and it was a really "WTF is this, this is great"-moment. Still love this band.
I love everything AFI has done, but that was a great era for the band
sigh... AFI used to be untouchable.
@@brittislove I know right!!! Just do Art of Drowning for 20 years.
Dude... that song...!!!! It was nr 1 for me!
I read "THPS 3 way" all wrong 🤣
There is just something so special about late 90s//00s music and skate/snow culture to look back on and just be happy I was there to witness it. THPS was undoubtedly a massive part of this. Thanks for this one Finn!
THPS1 only had 2-minute time trials, so I actually didn't know all of these songs actually went past 2 minutes. I literally never heard the full version of songs like Superman and Jerry was a Racecar Driver until 2006.
It’s weird hearing Superman without the buzzer beeping at me towards the end.
The N64 had even more abbreviated, looping songs due to the cartridge limitations!
I remember downloading Superman on kazaa and having my mind blown at hearing the full song lmao
Literally?
The Hip-Hop music in the THPS games ABSOLUTELY had an impact on me and many others. “B-Boy Document ‘99” on THPS 2 holds a special place in my heart as it introduced me to Mos Def, one of the best lyricists of all time. These games opened a world of underground hip-hop that me and my friends would have never heard on the radio at the time we were playing these games like Cannibal Ox, Anacron, Busdriver, Aceyalone, Murs, & Styles of Beyond. It also served as a Hip-Hop history lesson with the inclusion of the greatest pillars of the entire genre. “The World is Yours” by Nas, “Mass Appeal” by GangStarr, “Rappers Delight” by Sugarhill Gang, “Express Yourself” by NWA…the list goes on and on. I would’ve never become as big of a Hip-Hop head as I am now if it weren’t for THPS.
Oh man, B-Boy Document 99 is probably the first rap song i fell in love with. Before that i liked some rap rock but because of that tune i started seeking out more hip hop. Also became a fan of Mos Def. Black On Both Sides is an alt-hiphop classic.
i'd be lying if I said I would have never gotten into rock music had it not been for tony hawks pro skater since my older sister was into rock and she definitely had an influence on me growing up but tony hawks pro skater definitely shaped my music taste as an individual. while my sister liked mall pop punk music like good charlotte, sum 41, avenged sevenfold and "new" AFI (new at the time), I fell more into the traditional punk music like suicidal tendencies, the ramones, old AFI, black flag, dead kennedys, johnny thunders etc. To this day I still love those bands though nowadays I listen to more ska than anything else since the positive vibes it gives just makes my day better.
For me it was Bad Religion - You. I remember being 8 and loving that song on the game. I didn’t directly start listening to music after that. I didn’t really listen to any music until I was 13 or 14 but I fully believe that song planted the seed to liking punk and metal when I got older.
I remember turning off the sound effects and turn the music volume all the way up in the settings. All the songs on that soundtrack are certified classics.
I can't accurately count how many bands I was introduced to by the Tony Hawk series. I can say the "American Wasteland" soundtrack will always be an absolute banger in its entirety.
Wasteland and ps3 had the best soundtracks in my opinion
THPS was literally the first video game I played as a kid, and I played it religiously for YEARS. It is 100% a huge contributing factor to my current music taste that consists of mostly post hardcore/metalcore/punk. Also worth mentioning, the THPS 1+2 remake that came out a year or two ago is by far the best return to form from the series since THPS: U. Super happy to see you talk about something so close to my childhood!
I'm one of those kids that got into Punk music because of THPS 2 and 3.
Living in a rural area without a internet connection and long drives away from the next record store these two games provided me with so many great songs and I have very fond memories playing them.
Millencolin - Pennybridge Pioneers was the first album i ever bought when i was around 11 y/o because of THPS2. Still a killer album and The Ballad was the song of my highschool years and no song has ever spoken to me more in my life.
As I was getting into punk this game came out. Both skateboarding and music came together at the same time and shaped my youth
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Love this video! I spent the majority of my highschool years sitting in the back of class with my backpack propped up to hide the fact that I was playing Tony Hawk's 1&2 and Underground 2 on my PSP, and not listening to a word the teacher said. My PSP was modded with a plugin that let you listen to your own music, so I'd fill it head-to-toe with all the punk that I listened to, as well as the soundtracks from the older games.
I'm really happy you decided to make this video. I was like 5 or so when I first started playing all the Tony Hawk Games, and I remember being so obsessed with the soundtrack. There would be days I didn't actually want to play the game, rather boot up "Free Skate", sit still, and just listen. I know they aren't everyone's favorite, but when I first heard Holiday by Green Day because it was in American Wasteland, I remember that being the first time I ever wanted to dig deep into a band's discography. Years upon years later, the first half of Green Day's catalog is my favorite band ever (lol), and my passion for creating/writing grows stronger and stronger. It truly is insane how games like Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero can really leave such a lasting impact on people that they can hold on to forever, just from the songs that coincidentally made it onto the soundtracks. Great video Finn!
I'd always been musically-inclined as a small child, but Tony Hawk's Underground came out around the time I was nine or ten years old, and that game was the nucleus for me wanting to actually become a musician. Their inclusion of KISS: the three songs from KISS Symphony, the bonus level, and the unlockable video clip from the KISS Symphony show, all led to me pestering my mom to buy me the KISS Symphony DVD. Up until this point, I'd only really been exposed to country music through my mom and grandmother, so this was a totally new world for me. Now I'm in my late 20's and I've been on tour, in recording studios, have met and played shows with some of my biggest influences, and it's still my life's calling. I even got to thank KISS for all of this in-person during a meet and greet a couple years ago. Thanks, Tony Hawk's Underground.
I wasn't even a skater and I loved this game
Usually I don't comment on videos, but this one moved something into myself. I just want to shot out to Dave Mitra freestyle BMX, another video game similar to this one who got me into punk rock. I'd never been who I am today without that game, the soundtrack was lit and I fell in love with this genere. Also shout out to Dave Mirra who is no longer with us, he took his life some years ago. I just wanna say thank you Dave, you changed my life and you don't even know.
The success of the Tony Hawk soundtracks also led to a trend of extreme sports games having these kinds of punk and alternative soundtracks. They weren't quite as iconic, but the soundtracks to Matt Hoffman Pro BMX, Dave Mirra Pro BMX ("Early in the morning..."), Kelly Slater Pro Surfer, etc were still very influential to a lot of people. But to me, the most important soundtrack outside of the Tony Hawk's series was easily SSX 3. The game was fantastic and HUGE, and there were courses that would take literally 30 real-time minutes to complete...all while listening to a soundtrack of pop punk, hip hop, funk, house, trance, and a DJ to let you know what they were all called. I don't think it was as vital to those artists' careers as Tony Hawk was to, say, Goldfinger, but it's how I discovered Yellowcard, Thrice, MxPx, The Faint, Ima Robot, The Chemical Brothers, and even Jane's Addiction (which I'd never paid attention to before then). So that's another thing we can thank THPS for.
Yo I always thought if THPS never existed or never reached so deep into culture, wed never hear stuff like A7X on madden etc etc
THPS got me into Story of The Year and post hardcore kinda stuff, was already into skate punk and afi but it wasn't a cultural movement before TH
Lol. I found Story Of The Year through the Need For Speed: Underground soundtrack. I was just getting into the post hardcore genre, and they led me to a LOT of even better bands.
@@maynarddrivesfast804 true that, me too! Don't remember SOTY in THPS though
@@maynarddrivesfast804 yea i think op is mistaking need for speed for thug
I cannot tell you how many hours I've poured into the Tony Hawk series when I was younger. As well as GTA, The Sims (console and PC), and Guitar Hero/Rockband. All those titles had a chokehold on me in my formative years. To this day, I still bust them out whenever I'm in the mood for a video game
When I was first learning guitar, the songs in "THPS3" were very influential in my songwriting. I'd hear a song like "96 Quite Bitter Beings" or "Wish" and think to myself, "Wow, I wanna write something like that!" And so I'd set out to try and "recreate" the sound and style of those songs.
Dang are you me? I literally have a cover of May 16th on my channel.
96 and wish were so heavy back then some of the first heaviest musics I'd ever heard
@@matturner6890 it's just another Saturday
@@bensbikex510 For sure! Definitely some gateway songs to get into heavier music!
6:29 - This whole point CANNOT be overstated! Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was one of the very first games that used licensed songs as its soundtrack and played them all the way through. The only other games to do that up to this point were Madden and other similar sports games, and other than the menus (which you tried hard to find your way out of), you'd only hear snippets of each song when you scored a touchdown. Unless I'm mistaken, THPS was the first game that played these songs while you were playing the game, and so you got to hear all of them, all the way through. That exposure is the same reason why so many classic soundtracks from the 8 and 16-bit generations are so well known and well loved--they just never stopped playing.
I am a 28 year old woman who grew up playing (and watching my older brother play) the Tony Hawk games, and it completely molded my music taste - specifically with bands that I still consider my favorites like Sum 41, CKY, and AFI. I ended up in a ska band in high school and I blame Goldfinger. I have no idea what my music taste would be like without these games.
Great video, Finn. I feel very seen lmao
Great video Finn. You really nailed it out of the park on this one. Can’t wait to watch whatever you drop next. Keep it up.
Grew up just at the right age for all this, 12 years old, watch TH hit a 900, buy THPS and a PlayStation with paper route money, get so pumped that me and my friends go by boards and skate everyday. It was beautiful. Most of these songs are still on my “morning, time to get pumped” type playlists. What a life…
Honorable Mention: Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack
Born in 96. I play bass in a punk rock band. Ramones saved my life. And both things thanks to THPS. Im trying to be brief but i cant explain how the soudtrack of literally a videogame, changed my life and made a huge impact on me!
The Pro Skater series is almost entirely responsible for turning me on to music, I still listen to a lot of the songs on those soundtracks, they were a great escape from an overbearing, depressing Christian childhood
FINALLY. This channel is like 4 years old or whatever. So glad this video finally came out.
I am absolutely one of those suburban kids that got introduced to punk via THPS2. Lagwagon in particular stuck with me.
the soundtrack for American Wasteland influenced my taste in music so much. easily one of my favorite games of all time even if it got a little too cartoony compared to the first two THPS titles. the soundtrack is just so superb and big enough that you don't get tired of the tracks or switch to your own music.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater is the reason I have my career today. It got me into skating in real life, then into the local punk / ska scene. Made my friends there that I still have to this day. Wanted to play music with them, but they were already good at their instruments. That made me decide I wanted to go to school for recording so I could at least do that for my friends. While at a tech school, ended up really clicking with video editing. Eventually I escaped Cincinnati moved to Los Angeles and within the past 8 years I've worked on 30 TV shows. Thank you, Tony Hawk.
The only other game that turned me on too music more is madden... specifically 04, 05, 06
*way away starts playing*
I can say Pro Skater 2 got me into punk, hip hop AND skateboarding. Massive influence on myself, hard to picture my childhood without it.
Special shoutout to Thrasher Skate and Destroy on the PS1 which also did a good job of capturing skateboard culture right before the 1st Tony Hawk game came out. Also had a great old school hip hop soundtrack as well.
It was kinda jank by comparison though. Good try but THPS made skateboarding effortless as a game, the coolness was icing on top.
That game was fun and it was ahead of its time.
The rag doll physics were the best. I loved that you could just bail and fuck up your character in funny crazy ways
I attribute so much of my musical upbringing to THPS3. Another banging video, Finn!
Underground 2 was the game that changed my life and music taste. I went back after that and played pro skater 2 and 3. I still listen to the soundtrack from time to time! But it overall got me into hardcore and metal as well as opened my eyes to rap music. I used to hate rap until THUG2
I remember when this game came out. Everyone knew I was an OG punk/ metal head. They’re all like “try it, you’ll love it! Suicidal Tendencies is in it!” I was like “man, if I wanna listen to ST I’ll just throw a cd on. I’ve got all their stuff.” One thing that I really DID love was the X-Games video for White Zombie’s More Human Than Human. Anyway Finn, great job getting me interested in the video in spite of my skin crawling revulsion of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. I enjoyed it!
This game really broke my heart at the time, cuz I knew people who'd previously ridiculed punk rock who suddenly started listening to DK and shit after this game helped make it cool. Between THPS, Blink 182, and Jackass, punk rock became THE predominant mainstream music trend for a few years, which bugged the shit out of me at the time because the lifestyle and ethic had literally saved my life and given me an identity a few years prior. Even my jock brother on the wrestling team who had previously talked vicious shit about my music taste suddenly started spiking his hair and blasting punk rock at his keg parties.
Who gives a fuck? They were wrong, and realized how good the music is. Sorry they were closed minded jerks before- but more fans for the bands mentioned is a good thing. Keeping bands hidden and underground only serves the purpose to jerk yourself off to being a hipster. Live and let live.
Glad you did a video on this was actually going to bring this up in your next stream, this game literally introduced me to punk.
I'm impressed that you didn't acknowledge the FANTASTIC remake that is THSPS1+2. It is an absolute masterpiece with a huge, thriving community and has revived the franchise with great success.
Why would I mention that?
CKY has such a great sound on those 2 albums. That pitch shifted thing... they did it better than everyone else.
I discovered this channel recently while playing the remakes of Tony hawk 1 and 2, this is so cool to see u make a vid on it
Man, talk about nostalgia.... I played Skate or Die and so much THPS 2.... I was into punk and skateboarding before the game, but it definitely solidified some things. Didn't really think about it before this video. Great work, as always, Finn.
I got this game for Xmas with my PS1 in 1998-99 and it blew me away. Tons of amazing music I hadn’t heard but heard of the bands from magazines. I still listen to the soundtrack regularly
Thanks for such a necessary video! For me and my pals (future bandmates), Tony Hawks pro Skater 2 was THE game who introduced us to punk and hardcore.
I have literally been waiting for this video for a while. One of my favorite video games and a great deal in my music taste.
My father and my older brother are huge gamers, so they got me a video game for my birthday when I was really really young, and that game was Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. I’m 200% sure that having AFI blasting at my ear at such a young age was why I’m making music and watching you today. Guitar hero played a huge part too, but THPS was the reason I was interested in guitars in the first place
These games changed my life. I was about ten years old and a friend recommended me THPS2 (a family friend used to sell pirated PS1 games for £3 a piece; I was a poor kid and my parents couldn't afford the real copies). I said "I'm not really into skateboarding", and my friend said "I'm not, but this game's really good". I fell in love with it, I started skating and I would scower the soundtracks and download everything I loved off it. Rise Against, Zeke, Lagwagon, Fu Manchu, Hot Water Music, High On Fire, there's so many great bands I discovered through those games. 'No Cigar' by Millencolin makes me burn with nostalgia to this day. I honestly wouldn't be the same person without those games, and I owe so much to them. I feel really old talking about 'my generation', but those games really were a cultural milestone if you were a young kid in the early 00s who liked metal and punk.
Man! What an amazing time travel here. THPS1 and 2 had a HUGE impact in my life, for sure, and I'm thankful for the game for this. Whenever I listen to Superman my hands move like I'm playing my first Playstation 22-23 years ago. Thank you for this video!
I grew up playing Tony hawk's games (THPS 3 through to American wasteland) and You're literally spot on with everything. I was living in the middle east back then and these games literally started the punk/hardcore scene in countries like Qatar, UAE.
I had them all as a kid but 4 is where it really took off for me. I was 13 when it came out, so I was more competent as a gamer than I was before. Project 8 was where I lost interest, and proving ground was the final straw.
As much as I loved THUG2 and THAW back in the day (I still have favourite songs that I discovered from those games), looking back, that's where I think it started to go downhill.
THUG and 4 were my personal favourites because you could do so much more, I was also homeschooled at the time and had waaay more time to play them.
This series did so much for me in terms of discovering who I was, and kept me busy for hours when I didn't have a huge amount of friends. For that, I will always be grateful.
The recent reboot was incredible from top to bottom, it's just a shame we're not gonna get 3, 4 and THUG.
It was refreshing to see rock and punk and hiphop mixed up like that.
That game really did turn me onto a bunch of new music.
In my town, people were somewhat defined by their genre preference back in the day.
I was a little bit after this since I was born in 1999, but I totally agree with your point when it comes to hearing the songs over and over. That’s how I felt when it came to Smackdown vs. Raw 2007, what a great soundtrack, and that truly got me into the world of hard and punk rock when I was just 6 years old! Love your videos Finn! Keep on rocking brother🤘🏻
Being able to build your own skate park in the game was soooooo cool
These games got me into punk rock as a 7 year old kid just like grand theft auto San Andreas got me into gangsta rap. Both of those game franchises really made an impact with their nearly flawless soundtracks
Yesss I didn't realize how bad I needed this video. I talk about this ALL THE TIME. Def watching this while snacking on a pbjj
This was the vid I was looking forward too. Definitely did not disappoint!
I picked up the remaster for the Switch last year. I couldn’t believe that after about 20 years I could seamlessly go back to nailing all of the tricks again. Yep, many hours were spent playing this game.
I like that it influenced us to get out skating too. So when it was too dark outside to skate, we played THPS.
The remaster Tony Hawk 1+2 is a nice piece of nostalgia since they were able to get the vast majority of the music back for that version
Tony Hawk made it for kids in the hood to love punk rock, ska, metal and classic rock… but opened our eyes to great hip hop too.
Hearing Mos Def, Xzibit, Atmosphere, Redman, Public Enemy, Del the Funky Homosapian… it was pure hip hop…
then hearing Jimmy Eat World, Suicidal Tendencies, Thursday, Dead Kennedy’s, Bad Religion, Goldfinger, Dead Kennedy’s, The Vandals, Zebrahead, Papa Roach, Fu Manchu, Dead Milkmen…
Some of the coldest intros they’ve ever had.
Need For Speed (especially Underground) and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 through 4 introduced me to so many bands. It's how I found a lot of music I liked, tbh, and also helped me find out about new and old music from bands I already liked.
I still have my original PlayStation games of 1 & 2 THPS. This video is very accurate, well done Finn!
Honestly, the Tony Hawk games are directly responsible for introducing me to punk and metal and were probably the single biggest influence on my musical taste and trajectory as a 10-13 year old kid. It really only dawned on me recently just how much those games influenced me, I can pretty much single handedly point to THPS3 as kind of a watershed moment in my life, not only did it get me into skating which took up a huge portion of my teenage years, but also got me into music that I would have otherwise probably never have come across.
It was the go to game with your friends after school. Had a huge impact on the music I still listen to today.
Good call on THPS2 being the one that really hit the nail on the head. And good call on Millencolin, although, that was the no. 2 song for me and my brother and friends. You only touched on the Lagwagon "May 16" song which I remember as being almost all of my peers' favorite. Lagwagon didn't carry well much into the new millenium, but at the time, a much liked 'melodic punk' band (as we termed them back then). Great synopsis as always. Keep up the excellent work.
I think you are pretty spot on. The first few are centered around great skating and then it turned into cashing in on the games notoriety.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 had THE best soundtrack! Christ, I miss those days... No bills, no debt, no divorce, only one surgery, and I could pretend I knew literally ANYTHING about skateboarding. Love the content, Finn!
Sick New Deal shout out!! You know they are back!! Reissues and t's are fire!!
Pro Skater 2 when Anthrax/Public Enemy and a few other bangers came on, I used to sometimes just stop for a little bit, turn my audio up and just jam lol....I was like 13
Not me waiting the whole video for you to mention MCR's cover of Astro Zombies. Such a timeless classic for me. I didn't become a big Misfits fan until several years later, but that cover definitely piqued my interest and holds a special place in my heart. Such fond memories.
I still remember playing American Wasteland in my Primary School's computer lab as a kid. And on the weekends at my skater buddy's place on PS2. Takes me right back. 🥰
Great video. I cant tell you how many hours my brother and I and our buddies spent playing Tony Hawk and Twisted Metal on PS1. We already liked punk music and metal music from Dirtbike movies like Moto XXX who had Sepultura, 59 times the pain etc...but this game was basically like a Punk O Rama compilation and there was a couple oddballs in there like Primus. Twisted Metal had a good soundtrack too. White Zombie, Pitchshifter, Filter to name a few.
90s was the shit.
This video, well the bits about THPS 1 & 2, is 100% accurate. I am one of those kids. I've got the re-release collectors board on my wall because I consider that this game changed the course of my life. I still listen to all the bands and have seen many of them over the years, it got me in to the Punk & Ska scene, it shaped me and my life.
So happy you made a video on the THPS franchise because it’s the entire reason I got into punk music and skateboarding. It’s also the reason I got into backpack rap but I think it’s because where I got my first exposure to it and went down the rabbit hole . Love the video man \m/
This was a great video. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Excellent documentary on this franchise. Thanks man.
These games have definitely been the largest influence on my music taste. Not The Same by Bodyjar has been my favorite song ever since I was a 5 year old playing THPS3 on my gamecube
Tony hawks underground 2 will always be my favorite Tony hawk game of all time, I had so many hours playing it and beat it in career mode and classic mode
Papa Roach’s Blood Brothers on THPS2… the nostalgia for that iconic riff is incredibly strong 😌
Great video! This game was important for me and my friends back in the day. We lived in a small strict Christian community. My mom was "rebellious" enough to let us play select video games. I use to love to free skate just to listen to the music.
During the deepest part of Lockdown (UK) last year I bought THPS 1+2 and it helped me through those 3 months so much...what great games they are.
Thank you for covering this. I enjoyed that you actually covered some important aspects that the music really exposed and gave people a taste of a bit of the skater culture. As a skateboarder I appreciate this and hope it will inspire more people to skate or cheer us on.
Bro, aldo as a young boy I was skating before I've ever played Tony Hawk's; you've nailed down everything how I experienced this game. This game brought me into punk and I owe this game a lot.
Good episode!!!!!!!
Never played the Tony Hawk games as a kid, but I had kind of the same experience with the MX vs ATV games, really great rock/punk soundtracks which pretty firmly cemented my love for this sort of music.
"it created so so many happy memories for an entire generation"
I felt that
These first few games laid groundwork for my whole future music journey.
THPS 1-3 was a massive part of my childhood. Countless hours spent with my brothers and friends and for sure my gateway into alternative music. I still listen to the soundtracks today.
One REALLY important testament to the original 2 games - they recently were remade from the ground up (graphically), given a few sensible quality of life changes and yet they kept most of the original soundtrack.
It’s a giant affirmation of every element of the game - not only was it designed beautifully, but the music was as integral to the design as the tricks and level layouts were.
Great episode, per usual Finn.
That damn Amoeba song in THPS 3, forever engraved in my cranium
Seriously I came to know so many amazing bands from games like THPS, Burnout, Need for Speed and Guitar Hero. Whoever first made the decision to sync punk/pop punk/hardcore bands in video games was a pure genius and a revolutionary
THUG,THUG2 and American Wasteland where were I discovered the series and really got into music at 7…15 years later I’m still playing and listening to these. Thanks for making a video on one of my favorite series!
Thanks for shouting out the SEGA Dreamcast! It's where I played Tony Hawk 1 & 2 as well .... however I eventually fell in love with Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX and know all it's songs instead :D