Rockstar is a developer who understands the importance of sound in a video game, and they have routinely shown this with their Grand Theft Auto games. So as we all look forward to Grand Theft Auto V, we thought we’d recount the best soundtracks the GTA series has yet produced.
While later entries in the series would feature soundtracks populated with music from well-known artists, the Grand Theft Auto III soundtrack was largely comprised of original songs, along with a smattering of contributions from relatively unknown real artists. GTA III featured nine radio stations, from Head Radio (“the single source of gratification in your miserable, insignificant life”) to Flashback 95.6, with each station tailored to a specific audience, a theme that would later be expanded upon in Vice City. While the GTA III soundtrack wasn’t as memorable as its successors, it did feature ‘Fade Away‘. For that song alone its inclusion on this list is warranted.
Following Vice City and San Andreas’ nostalgic, era-specific radio stations, the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack had a lot to live up to. Boasting a huge selection of music (bolstered by the 100+ extra tracks included in the downloadable add-ons The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony), GTA IV certainly had quantity, but what about quality? Well, it’s difficult to complain about a soundtrack that can see you skipping from Smashing Pumpkins, to Tom Vek, to Iggy Pop, to Aphex Twin, but the sheer abundance of music meant that it was also filled with its fair share of dross, such as B.o.B and *shudder* R.Kelly.
Further Reading: Top 10 Most Memorable GTA Characters
In many ways the Vice City Stories soundtrack betters that of Vice City‘s. While they share many of the same radio stations, the two-year gap between both titles allows for the inclusion of some earlier 80s hits in Stories, such as Run D.M.C’s ‘It’s Like That’ and Roxy Music’s ‘Avalon’. Stories also treats you to a live performance of Phil Collins’ ‘In The Air Tonight’. However, it is impossible to match the initial impact of the Vice City soundtrack, so for this reason Vice City Stories sits just behind its predecessor.
San Andreas‘ early 90s setting allowed for one of the series’ more eclectic soundtracks. Covering everything from the east coast/west coast hip hop divide to the UK’s hedonistic ‘Madchester’ scene, players found themselves flicking between N.W.A and Primal Scream as they rode through the streets of Los Santos in their Cadillac. Pulling off a drive-by whilst listening to ‘I Just Don’t Give a F***’ by 2Pac is one of those wonderful unscripted moments that only the GTA series can provide, and while there are some notable omissions in the soundtrack (the absence of Nirvana is a glaring one, while the ’92 setting means that Biggie Smalls unfortunately didn’t make the cut, either), San Andreas is still the second best Grand Theft Auto soundtrack of all time, which is a mighty accolade considering its competition.
“Music for the me generation”, Vice City radio station Flash FM’s slogan, perfectly summarises the soundtrack to GTA‘s first foray into the ’80s. The narcissism of the era is apparent from the outset, as you hop into your 4-door sedan to the tune of Billie Jean and drive through the bustling city, its bright neon lights lining the concrete. In terms of video game openings, you will find none greater than your first introduction to Vice City, and its soundtrack plays a huge part in convincing you that you’re a part of this hedonistic era. Whether it’s driving a motorbike on the beach with Hall & Oates’ ‘Out of Touch’ playing, or ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ blaring from out of your sports car while you blissfully run over pedestrians, Vice City‘s soundtrack not only ranks as GTA‘s best ever, but also as one of the best ever in video game history.
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