@@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. 👍🏼
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
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.
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 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 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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/
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.
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
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!!!!!!!
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
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.
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.
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.
Great video as always, Finn! For me, Tony Hawks American Wasteland's soundtrack is hands down THE reason I ultimately got into punk and hardcore, and eventually became a musician myself. Excellent breakdown of these games and their impact! I have fond memories of playing these games with my buddies.
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.
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!
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
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🤘🏻
THPS3 was the first game in the series I played for real, that was mine and not on some friends console or PC. So that Soundtrack is my personal favorite soundtrack THUG 1 & 2 and American Wasteland also have banger soundtracks!
This game for sure had an influence on music for me as it came out when i was in middle school, and right as i was really getting into music. Love your videos, and really makes me nostalgic for that 2000's era of punk and metal I grew up on.
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.
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.
Great video Finn! I have many, many fond memories of the first 2 games right around the time I started smoking weed and getting super baked and just playing for days on end, turning up the sound and jamming out to all the great music and having hours of fun w my friends challenging each other and singing along. Classic games for sure. I'm with you that 1 & 2 are the best by far.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
shoutout to that STAND-UP ARCADE game thing with the skateboardey-ridey thing that had hella PENNYWISE as the soundtrack and every skateboardey-ridey thing on the cabinet was always busted and wouldnt turn left and if you went front flip off the front of the ramp you got ez hella points for S class rating then it plays a bonus pennywise song and shows the replay it was rad I forget the name though... anyway hella pennywise soundtrack yo
Yep all the great 90's underground punk/ska bands blew up and I farking loved it haha I've got that 411 issue vhs of the France comp,love it keep up the radness cobba....
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.
Awesome video! I remember going to the local video shop to rent thps but they were always out. So I got thrasher skate and destroy instead. Brilliant game with a killer soundtrack that introduced me to old school hip hop. I listen to A tribe called quest because of that game. Seriously underrated
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!
I think you were right on with your analysis. Peaked at 2, though I had a lot of fun playing 3 too. By TH4 thought it just didn't feel like like a skateboarding game as much as a game that had skateboarding.
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.
I still listen to the THPS 2 soundtrack every now and then and it feels great. That game definitely defined my musical choices for the rest of my life.
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.
I was in high school when my friend got Pro Skater 2 for N64. Lots of great memories playing that but the soundtrack is what I remember most since helped introduced me to punk. I remember seeing Bad Religion in 2002, and before they played the song "You," they talked about it being in Pro Skater 2. The band recognized that the game was bringing new fans to their shows.
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.
Great video Finn. I was already starting to get into punk/ska but THPS1 definitely accelerated that process. Goldfinger and Suicide Machines particularly. Primus took me later until adulthood to really start getting into though lol
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
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…
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
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
Well, I know what I'm doing this weekend. Busting out the PS2 I bought with money I got from my first summer job in high school. I have a bunch of the Pro Skater games, and man... Thanks, Finn! It's going to be a fun blast from the past. Used to stay up all night on the weekend, playing THPS games until like 6 am. Also, Underground introduced me to that awesome Busdriver song, so for that alone... I am grateful.
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
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
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!
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 🤣
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...
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
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!
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.
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?
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
@@always_on_ten For sure! Definitely some gateway songs to get into heavier music!
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!
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 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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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 wasn't even a skater and I loved this game
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.
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
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!
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 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
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
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/
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.
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
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!!!!!!!
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
I had first heard 96 Quite Bitter Beings in Jackass when it first aired. I was really excited that it was going to be in THPS 3.
The only other game that turned me on too music more is madden... specifically 04, 05, 06
*way away starts playing*
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.
Honorable Mention: Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack
This was the vid I was looking forward too. Definitely did not disappoint!
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.
Sick New Deal shout out!! You know they are back!! Reissues and t's are fire!!
Excellent documentary on this franchise. Thanks man.
I attribute so much of my musical upbringing to THPS3. Another banging video, Finn!
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.
This was a great video. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
Great video as always, Finn! For me, Tony Hawks American Wasteland's soundtrack is hands down THE reason I ultimately got into punk and hardcore, and eventually became a musician myself. Excellent breakdown of these games and their impact! I have fond memories of playing these games with my buddies.
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.
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!
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
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.
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🤘🏻
THPS3 was the first game in the series I played for real, that was mine and not on some friends console or PC. So that Soundtrack is my personal favorite soundtrack
THUG 1 & 2 and American Wasteland also have banger soundtracks!
CKY has such a great sound on those 2 albums. That pitch shifted thing... they did it better than everyone else.
This game for sure had an influence on music for me as it came out when i was in middle school, and right as i was really getting into music.
Love your videos, and really makes me nostalgic for that 2000's era of punk and metal I grew up on.
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.
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.
Great video Finn! I have many, many fond memories of the first 2 games right around the time I started smoking weed and getting super baked and just playing for days on end, turning up the sound and jamming out to all the great music and having hours of fun w my friends challenging each other and singing along. Classic games for sure. I'm with you that 1 & 2 are the best by far.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
This was an amazing video.
Great content as always.
Keep it up.
shoutout to that STAND-UP ARCADE game thing with the skateboardey-ridey thing that had hella PENNYWISE as the soundtrack and every skateboardey-ridey thing on the cabinet was always busted and wouldnt turn left and if you went front flip off the front of the ramp you got ez hella points for S class rating then it plays a bonus pennywise song and shows the replay it was rad I forget the name though... anyway hella pennywise soundtrack yo
You nailed it with Millencolin. I discovered them from the Tony Hawk and Dave Mirra games. One of my all-time favorite bands.
Yep all the great 90's underground punk/ska bands blew up and I farking loved it haha I've got that 411 issue vhs of the France comp,love it keep up the radness cobba....
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.
That damn Amoeba song in THPS 3, forever engraved in my cranium
Awesome video!
I remember going to the local video shop to rent thps but they were always out. So I got thrasher skate and destroy instead. Brilliant game with a killer soundtrack that introduced me to old school hip hop. I listen to A tribe called quest because of that game. Seriously underrated
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!
Amazing video Finn, I couldn't agree more about Tony Hawk and No-Cigar.
I adore your channel. Thank you so much for what you do
About time Fin. I’ve been waiting for this lol
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 think you were right on with your analysis. Peaked at 2, though I had a lot of fun playing 3 too. By TH4 thought it just didn't feel like like a skateboarding game as much as a game that had skateboarding.
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.
I still listen to the THPS 2 soundtrack every now and then and it feels great. That game definitely defined my musical choices for the rest of my life.
Tony Hawks Pro skater game series and the grand theft auto series definitely turned me on to a bunch of different bands.
Great video topic man!
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.
This is one of your best videos imo
I was in high school when my friend got Pro Skater 2 for N64. Lots of great memories playing that but the soundtrack is what I remember most since helped introduced me to punk. I remember seeing Bad Religion in 2002, and before they played the song "You," they talked about it being in Pro Skater 2. The band recognized that the game was bringing new fans to their shows.
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.
Great video Finn. I was already starting to get into punk/ska but THPS1 definitely accelerated that process. Goldfinger and Suicide Machines particularly. Primus took me later until adulthood to really start getting into though lol
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
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…
Yes! Been waiting for this video.
Being able to build your own skate park in the game was soooooo cool
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
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
This video really hit home! Thank you! 🙏
As a kid playing the Tony Hawk games before school and kindergarten and first grade I had no clue what I was listening to but I knew I loved it
Well, I know what I'm doing this weekend. Busting out the PS2 I bought with money I got from my first summer job in high school. I have a bunch of the Pro Skater games, and man... Thanks, Finn! It's going to be a fun blast from the past. Used to stay up all night on the weekend, playing THPS games until like 6 am. Also, Underground introduced me to that awesome Busdriver song, so for that alone... I am grateful.