Welcome to the CF Rocksmith 2014 Championship!

-= Week 678 =-

=> How and Why join the Championships?
=> Rocksmith 2014 Championships rules

Previous' week Winners are:

Lead:
- Beginner:@EmbraceTheAbsurd (98.23)
- Intermediate:@Vodka (99)
- Advanced:@cacahuate51 (98.25)
- Masterclass:@shaggy_malagy (98)

Rhythm:
- Beginner: @EmbraceTheAbsurd (94)
- Intermediate: @FlatCap Jay (97)
- Advanced: @aNDESmASAMUNE (98.51)
- Masterclass: @cacahuate51 (89)

Bass:
- Beginner: @MotivatedCF (99.88)
- Intermediate: @MaltaSoron (98)
- Advanced: @ALSRC (99.39)
- Masterclass: @Nomgoose (99.82)

Congrats to all winners. Well done!

This week's songs are:

Lead Path:
Beginner:Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?(2.5)(E Standard)selected byca51
Beginner Bonus:Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)(4^)(E Standard)selected bypoll
Intermediate:Atreyu - Becoming The Bull(5*)(D Drop C)selected bypoll
Intermediate Bonus:Chris Isaak - Wicked Game(5*)(E Standard)selected bypoll
Advanced:Wolfmother - Sundial(6.5)(E Standard)selected bypoll
Advanced Bonus:Pink Floyd - Money(5.5)(E Standard)selected bypoll
Masterclass:Megadeth - Dystopia(9*)(D Standard)selected bypoll
Masterclass Bonus:Tenacious D - Beelzeboss(6)(E Standard)selected bypoll
God of Guitar:Death - The Sound of Perseverance Full Album(10)(D Standard)selected bypoll[Week 1 of 4]

Rhythm Path:
Beginner: Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know? (2.5) (E Standard) selected by ca51
Beginner Bonus: Chris Isaak - Wicked Game (3*) (E Standard) selected by poll
Intermediate: Atreyu - Becoming The Bull (4.5) (D Drop C) selected by poll
Intermediate Bonus: Pink Floyd - Money (3) (E Standard) selected by poll
Advanced: Coheed and Cambria - The End Complete II: Radio Bye Bye (6.5) (E Standard) selected by poll
Advanced Bonus: King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King (7*) (E Standard) selected by poll
Masterclass: Megadeth - Dystopia (8) (D Standard) selected by poll
God of Rhythm: Death - The Sound of Perseverance Full Album (10) (D Standard) selected by poll [Week 1 of 4]

Bass Path:
Beginner: Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know? (2.5) (E Standard) selected by ca51
Beginner Bonus: Chris Isaak - Wicked Game (2) (E Standard) selected by poll
Intermediate: Pink Floyd - Money (5*) (E Standard) selected by poll
Intermediate Bonus: Atreyu - Becoming The Bull (4.5) (D Drop C) selected by poll
Advanced: Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) (6.5) (E Standard) selected by poll
Advanced Bonus: King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King (6) (E Standard) selected by poll
Masterclass: Jamiroquai - Runaway (8) (E Standard) selected by poll
Masterclass Bonus: Wolfmother - Sundial (7.5) (E Standard)
God of Bass: Death - The Sound of Perseverance Full Album (10) (D Standard) selected by poll [Week 1 of 4]

(N) - difficulty rating
(N*) - highest difficulty rating for the class (promotion to higher class possible)
(N^) - difficulty rating higher than the highest for the class (promotion possible)

Check current week Rocksmith Championship Leaderboard

You can submit your song suggestions for the championship here
NEW! - easly add songs even on your mobile!:
Add Song Suggestion

Song Suggestions List available to view here: Google Sheets Spreadsheet

Share with us your opinion on this weeks songs difficulty scores (1-10).

Do you want to host a week? Join the Championship organizing team!!!
The process is smooth and there is a tutorial as well. If you are interested, send a personal message to Rodman.

Welcome to our 13th anniversary of the championship! 🤘

Last week I polled you guys for your favorite championship tracks to make this week a recap! Note that a few of these are updated charts from different creators, so make sure to grab the downloads. The final list features the top-voted picks plus a few extras to fill in difficulty gaps. Hope you enjoy the week!

🎂 Anniversaries

First played this week in an earlier year (active players)

• @luckyoldme joined Week 418 · Oct 23, 2021🎂 5years

• @Emmy-Dell joined Week 574 · Oct 19, 2024🎂 2years

• @Alex_Kappashiro joined Week 574 · Oct 19, 2024🎂 2years

• @mattibassi joined Week 626 · Oct 18, 2025🎂 1year

• @Esselte joined Week 626 · Oct 18, 2025🎂 1year

Hope to have some of you back this week and also look forward to seeing new people join this week!



1. Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?

• Historic Chart Milestone: Released in June 2013 on their landmark album AM, it became the first-ever Arctic Monkeys song to crack the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

• Distinctive Sound: The track is heavily defined by its iconic, heavy, swaggering fuzz-bass riff that carries the entire groove of the song.

• The Visuals: The minimalist, monochromatic animated waveform music video was directed by David Wilson and has accumulated over 1.5 billion views.

• Songwriting Credit: While the band is listed as co-composers, the unforgettable lyrics and vocal melodies were crafted entirely by frontman Alex Turner.

• Critical Acclaimed Era: It cemented the band's transition into a sleek, hypnotic indie-rock groove that defined the mid-2010s alternative scene.

2. Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

• Peculiar Origin: The Italian group's name actually came from a computer random-word generator, rather than the famous tower in Paris.

• Global Megahit: The track topped charts worldwide, reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, and earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording in 2001.

• Deep Metaphor: Frontman Massimo Gabutti explained that the color blue was used as a metaphor to describe a person's lifestyle, choices, and environment ("I have a blue house...").

• Lasting Legacy: The song heavily inspired modern mega-hits, most notably serving as the direct interpolation for David Guetta and Bebe Rexha's chart-topping 2022 single, "I'm Good (Blue)".

• Eurodance Staple: It remains one of the most recognizable and enduring club anthems of the late 20th century.

3. Atreyu - Becoming The Bull

• Album Lead Single: Released in 2007 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor, produced by John Feldmann.

• Lyrical Theme: The song serves as an empowering anthem about taking control of your life and refusing to let people walk all over you.

• Gaming & Sports Cross-Over: EA Sports famously featured the track in the soundtrack for Madden NFL 08, and the cable network Spike used it heavily to promote its UFC coverage.

• Chart Success: It became a modern rock radio staple, peaking high on alternative countdowns and solidifying Atreyu's commercial evolution.

• Fan Favorite: It remains a high-energy live staple known for its massive sing-along chorus and driving melodic metalcore rhythm.

4. Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

• Late-Night Inspiration: Chris Isaak wrote the track late at night after a woman called to tell him she was coming over to "talk," inspiring lines about obsessive love and getting pulled into trouble.

• The David Lynch Boost: The song initially received little attention upon its 1989 release, but blew up 18 months later after an instrumental version was featured in David Lynch's cult-classic film Wild at Heart.

• Iconic Music Video: The sultry, black-and-white music video was directed by renowned fashion photographer Herb Ritts, featuring supermodel Helena Christensen on a Hawaiian beach.

• Award Winner: At the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won Best Male Video, Best Cinematography, and Best Video From a Film.

• Pop Culture Staple: The haunting track has been covered by dozens of artists and famously soundtracked pivotal emotional moments in television and film, including Friends.

5. Wolfmother - Sundial

• Sophomore Album Kickoff: "Sundial" captures the band's signature heavy, psychedelic hard-rock sound, reminiscent of 1970s legends like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

• Australian Roots: Formed in Sydney in 2000, Wolfmother brought a massive wave of retro stoner-rock revival back into the mainstream international rock scene.

• Dynamic Riffs: Frontman Andrew Stockdale is celebrated for his soaring, Ozzy Osbourne-esque vocals layered over massive, fuzz-drenched guitar and bass grooves.

• Critical Reception: The album it stems from, Cosmic Egg, debuted at number three on the Australian charts and cracked the top twenty of the US Billboard 200.

• Championship Staple: It's widely praised in the guitar-and-bass community for offering an incredibly satisfying, classic heavy-riff workout.
  
  
  6. Coheed and Cambria - The End Complete II: Radio Bye Bye

  • Concept Album Epic: This track is part of Coheed and Cambria's sprawling sci-fi storyline, specifically tied to their fourth studio album, No World for Tomorrow (2007).

  • The "The End Complete" Saga: The song serves as a massive, multi-part movement within the overarching narrative, dealing with heavy themes of war, destiny, and the fictional "Keywork" universe.

  • Guitar Harmony Masterclass: True to the band's signature style, it features complex, soaring dual-guitar harmony lines reminiscent of classic 70s and 80s prog-metal.

  • Fan-Voted Deep Cut: It's a beloved track among progressive-rock enthusiasts in the community who appreciate intricate arrangement structures.

  • Live Energy: While less of a mainstream radio single than "Welcome Home," it remains a staple for die-hard fans looking for a virtuosic performance workout.

  7. King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King

  • Prog Rock Blueprint: Released in October 1969 on their seminal debut album, it is widely considered by music historians to be one of the foundational records that launched the entire progressive rock genre.

  • Instruments that Echo: The song heavily utilizes the Mellotron—an early tape-replay keyboard instrument—giving its sweeping, orchestral atmosphere that eerie, majestic 60s grandeur.

  • Iconic Cover Art: The tortured face on the album cover (the "Schizoid Man" / Crimson King) was painted by computer programmer and artist Barry Godber, who sadly died of a heart attack shortly after the album's release.

  • The Beatles' Seal of Approval: Pete Townshend of The Who famously called the album "an uncanny masterpiece," and Jimi Hendrix was known to be a massive fan of their live shows around that era.

  • Lyrical Surrealism: The poetic, cryptic lyrics written by lyricist Peter Sinfield mix medieval imagery with modern psychological decay, epitomizing the counterculture shift of the late 1960s.

  8. Jamiroquai - Runaway

  • First Compilation Single: "Runaway" was released in 2006 as the lead single from Jamiroquai's greatest hits compilation album, High Times: The Singles 1992–2006.

  • Electro-Funk Evolution: The track leans heavily into a sleek, synthesizer-driven electro-funk and disco sound, separating it slightly from their earlier organic acid-jazz roots.

  • Chart Success: The single kept the band's hot streak alive on European dance and airplay charts, proving their commercial staying power a decade and a half into their career.

  • Bass Groove Mastery: Known for having legendary bassists (like Stuart Zender and later replacement players), Jamiroquai tracks are universally prized in rhythm games for their intricate, syncopated, pocket-grooves.

  • Space Cowboy Aesthetics: The music video features frontman Jay Kay continuing his trademark futuristic, high-fashion styling and love for fast vehicles.

  9. Megadeth - Dystopia

  • Grammy Winner: The title track from Megadeth's 2016 album Dystopia finally earned Dave Mustaine and the band their first-ever Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance after several previous nominations.

  • Lineup Refresh: This album marked the debut of guitarist Kiko Loureiro (formerly of Angra) and Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler, injecting explosive new thrash-metal energy into the band.

  • Lyrical Inspiration: The song explores dystopian socio-political themes, drawing heavy inspiration from classic science fiction literature like George Orwell's 1984 and modern surveillance states.

  • Shredding Standard: Clocking in with brutal thrash tempos, complex rhythm shifts, and dueling trade-off guitar solos, it's considered one of modern metal's ultimate technical benchmarks.

  • Critical Resurgence: Critics praised the record as a triumphant return to form, channeling the aggressive thrash composition style of their 1980s classic era.

  10. Tenacious D - Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)

  • Rock Opera Climax: This tour-de-force metal showdown serves as the musical climax of the comedy-rock film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006).

  • Star-Studded Devil: Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) plays the role of Beelzeboss (Satan), lending his iconic powerhouse screams and crushing drum performances to the track.

  • Musical Challenge: The song parodies and pays homage to classic heavy metal tropes, building up to a literal "rock-off" battle where Jack Black and Kyle Gass have to out-rock the Devil to save their souls.

  • Broadway Structure: Written with theatrical flair, the song shifts dynamically between acoustic folk-comedy, blistering heavy metal riffage, and operatic vocal exchanges.

  • Cult Classic Status: Among guitar and rhythm gamers, the fast-paced dueling sections and comedic lyric lines make it an absolute blast to play from start to finish.
    
    
    
    Here are the 5 interesting facts and YouTube links for the remaining championship tracks:

    11. Death - The Sound of Perseverance (Full Album)

    • Masterpiece Finale: Released in August 1998 [1.2.1], The Sound of Perseverance was the seventh and final studio album [1.2.1] by the pioneering death metal band Death [1.2.1], led by the late Chuck Schuldiner.

    • Bass Playground: Bassist Scott Clendenin [1.2.1] delivered some of the most intricate, complex, and beloved basslines in extreme metal history, making this full album run an absolute gold standard (and intense workout) for bass players.

    • Lineup Powerhouse: The record featured incredible technical performances by drummer Richard Christy and guitarist Shannon Hamm alongside Schuldiner and Clendenin [1.2.1].

    • Legendary Cover: It includes Death's jaw-dropping, note-for-note heavy metal cover of Judas Priest's classic speed-metal anthem "Painkiller" [1.2.4].

    • Prog-Metal Evolution: The album pushed death metal into unprecedented progressive territories, featuring soaring melodies, complex time signatures, and acoustic passages (such as on the instrumental track "Voice of the Soul" [1.2.4]).
      
      
      
      
      
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      Almost had 13 cdlc for 13th anniversary! 😅
      
      There were songs I did not play yet like sundial ( do download DD theres a camera glitch if you don't), King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King and Coheed and Cambria - The End Complete II: Radio Bye Bye.
      
      Beezleboss is Low advanced but ran out of space so its only in masterclass lead, it wasnt used for week 666 or any week after so I thought itd be nice to play it. The chart is dated and now abandoned, hopefully having it featured this week encourages a charter to adopt it and give it some love
      ---
      Thanks to @drand for helping me with some errors and for some championship anniversaries :)
      
      ----
      "I don't know if it counts since Wonderwall has been done to death, just anything by Ten Masked Men, or "Spin me right round"" by flatcap
      
      @flatcap Unfortunatley the week got full, I do love me some wonderwall! Had a cover by BMTH featured on week 612
      
      . Havent heard the tenmasked version yet but ill give it a go. Also love me some spin me right round! classic song but don't think it was featured before?
      
      At any rate, this is a reminder to make sure to add any song you enjoy in the ssl for future weeks :)
      link:
      https://script.google.com/macros/s/AKfycbwy6vF3XYDZ_s1WeqiHTgBcVgbF8cr2AUQjKH3aRSZYuh32Erc-IstP5Gos-1i_evkm/exec

• • • 
      
      
      

I'd need to cave in and do the Death full album run sometime this month, the songs on that record are up there with my favorite songs to play on bass ever.

Thanks for hosting this very important week @cacahuate51! Just did my sightreading of Death's The Sound of Perseverance on the five string. I'll give this another run on the four string so it'll count proper later. This was a workout! Thank goodness we bass players have a small reprieve: