With the release of Guitar Hero II, the questions have started. What's GH2's answer to Bark at the Moon or Cowboys from Hell? Which songs are the hardest to beat? Which are the most fun? To coincide with our Guitar Hero II review, we've answered these questions and more, with a few lists to help you get up to speed as fast as possible (your mileage, of course, may vary).

The 10 Hardest Songs in Guitar Hero II (on Expert)

If you can get 5 stars on any of these songs in Expert mode, consider yourself a rock god. Invite the chicks over and bust one of these out after they struggle through Cherry Pie on Easy.

10) Rock This Town - The Stray Cats' rockabilly tune is deceptively hard, alternating single-note rhythms, jangling chords and lots of quick licks.
9) Gemini - Brian Kahanek's blues-rock instrumental is filled with a number of tough chord sequences and mini-solos that make this tune tough to hit 5 stars on.
8) Carry Me Home - This speedy metal song from The Living End has an endless supply of complex sections; just getting through the intro can be tough.
7) Freebird - The first half of this song almost puts you to sleep, but then you're jarred back to reality with an endless string of solos that may take you a while to get down.
6) Institutionalized - The Suicidal Tendencies classic has three rounds of varied noodling going on behind the lyrics, made only tougher by speed changes and a complex chorus.
5) Misirlou - Make sure your wrist is sufficiently warmed up before attempting Dick Dale's surf-rocker. It'll help if you're a robot.
4) Hangar 18 - The Megadeth epic isn't as tough you might think … until you get to the final few solos. Save up that star power!
3) Psychobilly Freakout - You may beat this on Expert, but you'll never be quite sure how you did it. Good luck getting 5 stars.
2) Six - Expect to spend some time working out the opening riffs to this speed-metal song by All That Remains -- or fail before 20%.
1) Jordan - Buckethead's bonus contribution, with its insane guitar break (seemingly created by a random note generator) and solos that follow, is basically Guitar Hero II's version of a "puzzle," to be dissected and solved in Practice mode. It's the only song we haven't beaten on Expert yet. Good luck!

The 10 Most Replayable Songs

Some songs seem to stand up better to repeated playthroughs, even after you've mastered them. Here are the songs that just haven't gotten old for us yet:

10) Message in a Bottle - Who knew the Police classic would make a great Guitar Hero song?
9) Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart - This relatively lesser-known STP song has lots of three-note chords that make it unique in the GH2 playlist.
8) Less Talk More Rokk - If you can get down the five-note patterns, this Freezepop song is a blast to play.
7) Arterial Black - Marcus Henderson, who recorded many of the guitar tracks for the game, plays guitar on this bonus track from Drist.
6) Raw Dog - The Last Vegas won the "Be a Guitar Hero" contest with this bonus track that rocks from start to finish.
5) Madhouse - Remember when Anthrax was just a band and not a terrorist threat? This thrash classic embodies everything that's great about Guitar Hero: a challenging hook, busy verses, and a rocking solo.
4) Who Was In My Room Last Night? - The Butthole Surfers' tune starts with three long chords, and then never lets off the gas.
3) Monkey Wrench - This Foo Fighters song is essentially GH2's answer to Unsung, with four minutes of nonstop chugging. Turn on Expert and watch the score rack up.
2) Stop - Whoever had the idea to include this Jane's Addiction tune deserves a raise. It's got a great rhythm section for the verses, a tough-but-playable solo, and lots of cool licks throughout.
1) Trogdor - It's Strong Bad. COME ON!

Best Songs to Play Co-op

Freebird - Two players on Expert will feel physically spent by the time the song is over.
YYZ - The Expert bassline is arguably harder than the main guitar part.
Jessica - The Allman Brothers' classic is a completely different experience with two players doing the harmony guitar parts.
Carry On Wayward Son - Playing bass on this isn't as hard as some other tunes, but entertaining nonetheless.
Can't You Hear Me Knockin' - Warning: The rhythm guitar is harder than the lead track in co-op mode.

Five Bonus Songs We Want Copies Of

Gemini
Push Push (Lady Lightning)
Arterial Black
Collide
Radium Eyes

Five Songs We Could Have Done Without

Freya
FTK
Elephant Bones
Mr. Fix-It
Yes We Can

(Be sure to check out our full Guitar Hero II review if you haven't already!)