Ranking all songs in Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush, the latest effort from Tango Gameworks, is a massive departure from what the Japanese studio is known for. Set in a celshaded cyberpunk world, players control Chai, a youngster who must battle an evil megacorp with the power of music. As a hack and slash, and rhythm game hybrid, players will attack and doge in time with the beat.

However, any good game with rhythm elements must have a solid soundtrack, to begin with. Hi-Fi Rush, thankfully boasts a catchy selection of iconic rock tunes. These include big names like Nine Inch Nails and The Prodigy. But with a decent variety of music available in the game, fans might wonder which is the best.

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Hi-Fi Rush's selection of music ranked from worst to best

While the game features licensed and original music, the latter is only part of the Streamer Mode. This replaces licensed music with tracks explicitly made for Hi-Fi Rush. As such, this list ranks only the licensed music as that will be the default experience for most players:

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7) Wolfgang's 5th Symphony (Wolfgang Gartner)

An outlier on this rock-dominated list, Wolfgang's 5th Symphony is an electronic take on the classic Beethoven tune - which debuted back in the early 1800s. It does feel a tad out of place for this game, but the electronic infusion does an excellent job of keeping the players tapping their feet to the rhythm.

Wolfgang Gartner has been a reasonably popular name in the EDM (electronic dance music) scene, especially during the late 2000s and early 2010s. American J's music has appeared in other games, too, such as Forza Horizon 4 and FIFA 20.

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6) INAZAWA CHAINSAW (Number Girl)

INAZAWA CHAINSAW is punk rock through and through. Every rum slap and kick is packed with rebellious zeal, something the genre lacks. Given the high-energy gameplay of Hi-Fi Rush, this is a perfect fit.

Number Girl was a popular Japanese punk rock band that first disbanded in 2002 - although the members regrouped in 2019 for a tour amidst other projects. However, as of last year, they have disbanded once more.

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5) Invaders Must Die (The Prodigy)

Invader's Must Die is another electronic track on this list. Unlike many other tracks from the band, this one lacks lyrics. That does not make it any less catchy, especially with the steady flow of the beat. Its clean tunes and hard-hitting beats will ensure protagonist Chai keeps up his relentless assault on the robot baddies.

The Prodigy emerged from England in 1990 and grew to become one of the most revolutionary EDM bands to date. Some of their best tracks include Omen, Voodoo People, and Breathe.

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4) Whirring (The Joy Formidable)

The Joy Formidable's Whirring is a somewhat peculiar pick for Hi-Fi Rush. The alt-rock song explains its fairly mellow and calm nature with vocals from lead vocalist Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan. Perfect for the slower and more cinematic moments. And despite its soft nature, the steady drum flow keeps the momentum going.

The Joy Formidable comes from the UK, with the band focusing on a similar melodic sound bound to inspire emotion. Their latest work includes the album "Into The Blue."

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3) The Perfect Drug (Nine Inch Nails)

The Perfect Drug is precisely as it sounds. Each segment of the song is surprisingly distinct in tone and can come off as clashing with one another between the vocals and drums. The hook, in particular, is surprisingly catchy. Eventually, the song does give way to a more traditional NIN feel but ends on an unusually mellow note.

Nine Inch Nails is a band that is synonymous with rock - industrial rock in particular. Initially led by solo member Trent Reznor, his work thrust him into stardom as one of the most influential artists. His contributions include the OST for the iconic 1996 FPS video game Quake.

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2) Lonely Boy (The Black Keys)

Another popular pick, Lonely Boy, is a well-known rock song in the community. It was released a decade ago, yet it still sounds fresh. This is thanks to its organ-driven chorus, foot-tappingly catchy vocals, and hook.

The Black Keys is an American rock duo that emerged in 2001. They are known for dabbling in various rock sub-genres, like blues, indie, garage, and more.

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1) 1,000,000 (Nine Inch Nails)

Another masterpiece by NIN, 1,000,000, is a track played during the first boss fight of Hi-Fi Rush. It starts with banging drum notes that continue their onslaught alongside the rumbling electronic guitar. This is backed by interjected vocals which supplement the instrumentals well. All in all, the game boasts a robust soundtrack that any rock fan would love.

Hi-Fi Rush is available for PC and Xbox Series X|S platforms.