I’m just going to say it. Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland is my all-time favorite Tony Hawk game. Easily. Gameplay-wise, I feel that this was the most smooth and balanced the series has ever been. I would even put it up against the recent Tony Hawk 1 & 2 Remaster, which I also loved.
One horrifically underappreciated aspect of this game is the soundtrack. While the game featured songs of multiple genres, in true Tony Hawk fashion, the punk rock playlist was on point. Half of the punk playlist consisted of emo and post-hardcore bands covering classic punk songs.
Noone seems to care about this. If that album came out today, both classic punks and old emo kids would lose their minds. This is an album that I have been listening to since high school, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
As a lover of all eras of punk rock, this soundtrack is a rare gem that should be appreciated by punks of all ages. Today, I wanted to tell you about each of the cover songs on the Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland soundtrack. Enjoy!
RELATED: Every Band Referenced In NOFX’s ‘Two Jealous Agains’
Classic Punk Cover Songs In Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Institutionalized
Originally By: Suicidal Tendencies
Covered By: Senses Fail
Institutionalized is a classic punk song about feelings of angst and alienation as a teenager. It is known for having talking/spoken word sections for the first half of each verse. Senses Fail does a great job with this cover.
Astro Zombies
Originally By: The Misfits
Covered By: My Chemical Romance
This cover is a perfect matchup for this soundtrack. Both The Misfits and My Chemical Romance incorporate horror elements into their music. Gerard does a great job matching Danzig’s vocal inflections, and the band keeps up the energy of this classic punk song.
RELATED: Scream – The 16 Best Misfits Songs
Seeing Red / Screaming At A Wall
Originally By: Minor Threat
Covered By: Thrice
Minor Threat is one of the most influential bands to come out of 1980s hardcore punk culture. Thrice, being primarily a post-hardcore band, we most likely influenced by Minor Threat. It is great to see them giving credit to the classics.
Time To Escape
Originally By: Government Issue
Covered By: Hot Snakes
This was one of the more surprising entries on this soundtrack. While Government Issue is a classic D.C. hardcore band, I don’t often hear them brought up in conversations about the greats. Hot Snakes paying homage to them was awesome to hear.
Wash Away (Beneath The Shadows)
Originally By: T.S.O.L.
Covered By: Alkaline Trio
Much like the My Chemical Romance’s cover of The Misfits, this is another great pairing for the Tony Hawk American Wasteland soundtrack. Both T.S.O.L. and Alkaline Trio are known for writing songs about darker subjects.
RELATED: Catching FIre – The 15 Best Alkaline Trio Songs
Let’s Have A War
Originally By: Fear
Covered By: From Autumn To Ashes
There are many unique vocalists throughout the history of punk rock. One underrated vocalist, in my opinion, is Fear’s Lee Ving. While I feel that From Autumn To Ashes wasn’t able to capture the same spark as Ving’s vocals, I still think this cover is awesome.
Suburban Home / I Like Food
Originally By: The Descendents
Covered By: Taking Back Sunday
This is probably the most fun cover on the Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland soundtrack. If you are in a band that plays any type of pop-punk, you were most like influenced by The Descendents. The Descendents were known for having some humorous lyrics in their songs, and you can tell that Taking Back Sunday had a lot of fun with this cover.
RELATED: Louder Now – The 12 Best Taking Back Sunday Songs
Who Is Who
Originally By: The Adolescents
Covered By: Dropkick Murphys
I was honestly surprised by this cover the first time I heard it. Most of the bands on this soundtrack play emo or post-hardcore. Dropkick Murphys stand out as one of the only classic/street punk artists on this list. Regardless, they add a nice edge to this song that you don’t really hear in the original.
House Of Suffering
Originally By: Bad Brains
Covered By: The Bled
You can’t have an album of classic punk and hardcore covers without an entry from Bad Brains. They are one of the most integral groups in the history of hardcore music. The Bled kills it with this cover.
Start Today
Originally By: Gorilla Biscuits
Covered By: Fall Out Boy
This is probably my favorite cover song on the whole soundtrack. I am a huge fan of both Gorilla Biscuits and Fall Out Boy.
In my opinion, the best part of this song is the vocals. Both bands have singers with distinct voices. Anthony Civarelli of Gorilla Biscuits screams so hard that his voice cracks. This is a big difference from Patrick Stump’s smooth singing voice. I love the juxtaposition here.
RELATED: Every Band Referenced In Gym Class Heroes’ Taxi Driver
Ever Fallen In Love
Originally By: Buzzcocks
Covered By: Thursday
I love the Buzzcocks, but I really really love Thursday. I don’t care what song they chose, as long as they were included on this soundtrack. The fact that they picked one of punk’s classic love songs is a double-win here.
Fix Me
Originally By: Black Flag
Covered By: Rise Against
If you had told me Rise Against was going to cover a classic hardcore band, I probably could have guessed that they would choose Black Flag. Both groups deliver tremendous amounts of energy with their music, and this was a great pairing for the Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland soundtrack.
Search & Destroy
Originally By: The Stooges
Covered By: Emanuel
I honestly haven’t listened to a lot of Emanuel in my life. However, this cover rocks. They do an excellent job emulating Iggy Pop’s classic vocal swag.
Sonic Reducer
Originally By: The Dead Boys
Covered By: Saves The Day
If there is one band that could cover The Dead Boys’ angsty classic punk track, it is Saves The Day. They were great at taking Sonic Reducer and updating it for the modern (at the time) emo scene.
Other Great Punk Songs On The Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland Soundtrack
- 7 Seconds – We’re Gonna Fight
- Bad Religion – We’re Only Gonna Die
- Black Flag – Rise Above
- The Casualties – Get Off My Back
- Circle Jerks – Wild In The Streets
- D.R.I. – Couch Slouch
- Dead Kennedys – California Uber Alles
- The Riverboat Gamblers – Hey! Hey! Hey!
- Sham 69 – Borstal Breakout
- SNFU – Better Homes And Gardens
- Strike Anywhere – Question The Answer
- Thrice – Image Of The Invisible
What Is Your Favorite Song On The Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland Soundtrack?
We hope you enjoyed our review of the classic punk cover songs in Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland. Which cover song is your favorite? Let us know on social media!
