Music of Grand Theft Auto V
The music for the 2013
The game's music has been released on five official soundtracks: The Music of Grand Theft Auto V, released alongside the initial launch of the game, consists of three volumes comprising the score, and selections from the in-game radio; The Cinematographic Score — GTA 5, an electronic album released in March 2014, comprises tracks composed and produced by Tangerine Dream founder
Production and composition
Early in the game's development, the music team were shown an early build before starting work on the score. Their work was mostly complete later in development but they continued composing until its final build was submitted for manufacturing. Edgar Froese, Tangerine Dream's founding member, initially rejected the offer of producing music for a video game. After he was flown to the studio and shown the game, he was impressed by its scale and cinematic nature, and changed his mind. Froese's first eight months of work on the score produced 62 hours of music.[2] He recorded with Tangerine Dream in Austria but further work was conducted at Jackson's United States studio, which The Alchemist and Oh No used as well.[3]
Jackson's initial role was to provide score for Trevor's missions, and he took influence from artists such as
Pavlovich found that while Rockstar assigned the team missions to write music for, some of their random creations influenced other missions and sparked inspiration for further score development. He discussed a "stem-based" system used to make music fit dynamic game factors where the team would compose music to underscore outcomes players could make immediately after completing missions.[2] Each of these stems, Froese reflected, included up to 62 five-minute WAV files, which were sent to Pavlovich in New York. "He then created, very professionally, a mix down for each of the eight stems needed for a mission and sent out the material to the other artists involved", Froese elaborated.[4] Oh No drew from scenes within the game to make his work feel contextually pertinent with the action onscreen. The iconographic introduction of Los Santos early in the game, for example, inspired him to "create a smooth West Coast vibe that embodied" the city.[4] He supplied horns, electric and bass guitars, and percussion parts to fit with the car chase scenes. "We wanted everything to set the right tone", he explained.[4]
The Rockstar team wanted to synergise the game world's depiction of California with the radio stations by licensing tracks that imparted an appropriate "Cali feel".
Soundtracks
The Music of Grand Theft Auto V
The Music of Grand Theft Auto V | ||||
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Soundtrack album by various artists | ||||
Released | 24 September 2013 | |||
Studio | Vox Recording (Los Angeles, CA) – The Score[9] | |||
Genre | Soundtrack | |||
Length | 216:13 (full soundtrack) 63:17 (Volume 1) 78:40 (Volume 2) 74:16 (Volume 3) | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Rockstar Games chronology | ||||
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The Music of Grand Theft Auto V was released digitally on 24 September 2013, in three volumes, including an original score composed for the game in addition to selections from songs that were licensed for the in-game radio. The retail version of the soundtrack was released on 9 December 2014, for
In the context of the game, The Music of Grand Theft Auto V was well received. Jim Sterling of
2:09 | |||
10. | "Garbage" | Tyler, the Creator | 3:28 |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Nowhere to Go" | Nite Jewel | 3:59 |
12. | "R - Cali" | ASAP Rocky | 2:19 |
13. | "Colours" | Age of Consent | 4:23 |
14. | "Hold Up" | Marion Band$ featuring Nipsey Hussle | 3:52 |
15. | "Life of a Mack" | 100s | 3:24 |
16. | "The Set Up" | Favored Nations | 4:03 |
17. | "Don't Come Close" | Yeasayer | 3:28 |
18. | "Sleepwalking" | The Chain Gang of 1974 | 3:38 |
Total length: | 63:17 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "We Were Set Up" | 3:31 |
2. | "A Legitimate Business Man" | 2:57 |
3. | "A Haze of Patriotic Fervor" | 5:30 |
4. | "Los Santos at Night" | 1:43 |
5. | "North Yankton Memories" | 4:02 |
6. | "The Grip" | 3:10 |
7. | "Mr. Trevor Philips" | 4:25 |
8. | "A Bit of an Awkward Situation" | 4:42 |
9. | "No Happy Endings" | 5:19 |
10. | "His Mentor" | 1:27 |
11. | "(Sounds Kind of) Fruity" | 4:44 |
12. | "Minor Turbulence" | 4:33 |
13. | "Chop the Dog" | 4:11 |
14. | "A Lonely Man" | 3:32 |
15. | "You Forget a Thousand Things" | 3:36 |
16. | "Impotent Rage / Am I Being Clear Now?" | 2:08 |
17. | "Fresh Meat" | 4:03 |
18. | "Therapy and Other Hobbies" | 0:57 |
19. | "Rich Man's Plaything" | 4:06 |
20. | "The Agency Heist" | 3:22 |
21. | "Hillbilly Crank Dealers' Blues" | 5:19 |
22. | "Welcome to Los Santos (Outro)" | 1:11 |
Total length: | 78:40 |
2:52 | |||
14. | "I Ain't Living Long Like This" | Waylon Jennings | 4:45 |
---|---|---|---|
15. | "Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt" | Yellowman | 3:43 |
16. | "All the Things She Said" | Simple Minds | 4:16 |
17. | "Harm in Change" | Toro y Moi | 3:59 |
18. | "This Mystic Decade" | Hot Snakes | 3:03 |
19. | "Mirror Maru" | Cashmere Cat | 4:02 |
Total length: | 74:16 |
The Cinematographic Score — GTA 5
The Cinematographic Score — GTA 5 | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | 24 March 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2012–2013 | |||
Studio | Eastgate Studios, in Vienna and Berlin | |||
Genre | Electronic | |||
Length | 63:50 | |||
Label | Eastgate | |||
Producer | Edgar Froese | |||
Tangerine Dream chronology | ||||
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The Cinematographic Score — GTA 5 was released on 24 March 2014, limited to 2000 copies. The album was composed and produced by Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese, while his wife Bianca Acquaye provided the cover art and acted as executive producer.[21] Froese agreed to work on the game despite his distaste for the medium, intrigued by Grand Theft Auto V's philosophy of "working against the establishment", describing it as "a social game".[22]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Place of Conclusions" | 5:15 |
2. | "Streets of Fortune" | 4:54 |
3. | "Mission Possible" | 4:15 |
4. | "Downtown Los Santos" | 5:06 |
5. | "Blaine County Sunrise" | 5:26 |
6. | "Burning the Bad Seal" | 5:18 |
7. | "Beyond the Weakest Point" | 6:10 |
8. | "Sadness, Grief and Hope" | 4:38 |
9. | "Diary of a Robbery" | 5:36 |
10. | "Draw the Last Line Somewhere" | 6:13 |
11. | "The Dangerous Mile" | 5:42 |
12. | "Living on a Razor Edge" | 5:17 |
Total length: | 63:50 |
Welcome to Los Santos
Welcome to Los Santos | ||||
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Studio album by The Alchemist and Oh No | ||||
Released | 14 April 2015 (Grand Theft Auto V) 21 April 2015 (Retail version) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 54:51 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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The Alchemist chronology | ||||
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Oh No chronology | ||||
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Welcome to Los Santos (also known as The Alchemist and Oh No Present Welcome to Los Santos) was included with the
The Alchemist | 2:46 | |||
Total length: | 54:51 |
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Notes
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer
Grand Theft Auto Online: Arena War (Official Soundtrack)
Grand Theft Auto Online: Arena War (Official Soundtrack) | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | March 1, 2019 | |||
Genre | Video game music | |||
Length | 23:23 | |||
Label | Rockstar Games | |||
Producer |
| |||
HEALTH chronology | ||||
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Grand Theft Auto Online: Arena War (Official Soundtrack) is a soundtrack album by American
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Bloodsport (World Domination)" | 2:45 |
2. | "Risk Of Death" | 1:59 |
3. | "War For The Blackened Earth" | 3:17 |
4. | "The Wheel" | 2:18 |
5. | "Slaves Of Fear" (Arena War Remix) | 3:33 |
6. | "Knightriders" | 2:48 |
7. | "Sunrise/Windshield" | 1:39 |
8. | "No God In Thunderdome" | 3:21 |
9. | "Arena War Theme" | 1:43 |
Total length: | 23:23 |
DāM-FunK Presents The Music of Grand Theft Auto Online Original Score
DāM-FunK Presents The Music of Grand Theft Auto Online Original Score | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | 15 December 2023 | |||
Genre | Soundtrack | |||
Length | 56:40 | |||
Label | Rockstar Games | |||
Producer | Dam-Funk | |||
Dam-Funk chronology | ||||
|
DāM-FunK Presents The Music of Grand Theft Auto Online Original Score features music featured in Grand Theft Auto V's
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Arena Wars" (featuring Health) | 3:37 |
2. | "The Contract – Mass" | 3:47 |
3. | "The Cayo Perico Heist I" (featuring &ME) | 4:29 |
4. | "Executives And Other Criminals" (featuring James Curd) | 4:16 |
5. | "Los Santos Drug Wars" (featuring Soulwax) | 2:58 |
6. | "The Contract – Space" | 4:31 |
7. | "Lowriders" (featuring Oh No) | 3:09 |
8. | "Bikers" (featuring Holy Fuck) | 4:18 |
9. | "Import/Export" (featuring Take a Daytrip) | 3:12 |
10. | "The Contract – The Journey" | 3:22 |
11. | "The Diamond Casino Heist" (featuring Nick Hook) | 4:12 |
12. | "The Cayo Perico Heist II" (featuring Rampa) | 3:04 |
13. | "Smuggler's Run" (featuring Show Me the Body) | 3:03 |
14. | "The Contract – House Call" | 4:39 |
15. | "The Contact – Smooth Kill" | 4:03 |
Total length: | 56:40 |
Singles
Grand Theft Auto Online: The Cayo Perico Heist
On December 18, 2020, three singles were released by Rockstar alongside the Grand Theft Auto Online update The Cayo Perico Heist. The singles were released by various artists and contained music that was featured in the update.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Chocolate Conquistadors" ( Leland Whitty | 7:01 | |
2. | "1988" (Moodymann) | Kenneth Dixon | 1:27 |
3. | "Bim Bam Bam" (Kokoko!) | George Kranz | 3:37 |
GTA Online: The Contract
A new radio station was added to
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Gospel" (with Ty Dolla $ign) |
| 4:53 |
Radio station music
Since the game's location is modelled on Southern California, the developers attempted to create an accurate representation that represented that region. Production of the soundtrack also consisted of licensing music for the radio stations, and selecting a disc jockey that matches the genre of music the station hosts. The soundtrack consists of a wide variety of radio stations that play different genres of music, including reggae, hip hop, hardcore punk, pop and country.[20] In September 2014, it was announced that new songs would be added to some of the radio stations in the next-gen releases of the game.[36]
In developing the radio stations, the development team sought to reinforce the game's recreation of California by licensing tracks they felt appropriately echoed a "Cali feel".[2] On the inclusion of the pop station Non-Stop-Pop FM, music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich noted "the first time you get off an airplane in L.A. and you hear the radio and the pop just seeps out... We wanted that. It really connects you to the world".[2] He felt that music licensing for the game involved a greater discernment than in Grand Theft Auto IV, as the music in Grand Theft Auto V played a greater role in building a Californian atmosphere.[2] "It reflects the environment in which the game is set", he explained.[3] Initially, the team planned to license over 900 tracks for the radio, but over time they refined the total number of tracks to 241.[2]
The tracks are shared between 18 stations, including two talk radio stations.[37] Some of the tracks were written specifically for the game; for example, rapper and producer Flying Lotus hosts the station FlyLo FM which includes original work he composed for the game.[37] For each of the radio stations, over time the team would develop an understanding of where the station's music was going and then select a DJ to host the station. Each station's DJ was selected with the mindset that they would match the genre of music the station hosts; for example, in developing Los Santos Rock Radio the team licensed classic rock tracks and it was decided that Kenny Loggins was a fitting choice as the station's DJ.[2]
References
- ^ Robinson, Andy (12 November 2012). "GTA V will introduce a musical score for missions". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Corriea, Alexa Ray (3 October 2013). "The accidental excellence of GTA 5's soundscape". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Stutz, Colin (26 October 2013). "Rockstar Music Head on 'Grand Theft Auto V': We've Topped What's Come Before (Audio)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Hatchman, Jonathan (26 November 2013). "Know The Score: The Music of Grand Theft Auto V". Clash. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ R* Q (31 August 2013). "GTAV Soundtrack Interviews and Details... Plus "Sleepwalking" by The Chain Gang of 1974 from the Official Trailer". Rockstar Games. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Stuart, Keith (12 November 2012). "Grand Theft Auto V preview: the inside story". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ a b c Shamoon, Evan (28 August 2013). "Inside the 'Grand Theft Auto V' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ R* L (15 April 2015). "Self Radio: Creating Your Own Custom Radio Station in GTAV PC". Rockstar Newswire. Rockstar Games. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ^ a b The Music of Grand Theft Auto V (album liner notes). Various Artists. Mass Appeal Records; Rockstar Games. 2014.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ R* Q (3 November 2014). "The Music of Grand Theft Auto V: Limited Edition Soundtrack CD and Vinyl Box Sets Coming this December". Rockstar Newswire. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ Sterling, Jim (16 September 2013). "Review: Grand Theft Auto V". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ Edge Staff (November 2013). "Play: Post Script". Edge. No. 259. p. 89.
- ^ "The Ten Best Games Of The Generation". Edge. No. 272. November 2014. pp. 74–81.
- ^ Petit, Carolyn (16 September 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V Review: City of Angels and Demons". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ Gertsmann, Jeff (16 September 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V Review". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ MacDonald, Keza (16 September 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- Consequence of Sound. Archivedfrom the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ Mokoena, Tshepo (12 December 2014). "The Music of Grand Theft Auto V box set review – driving music revved up to its limits". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Movie Soundtracks: Top Soundtrack Album Charts". Billboard. October 2013. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d Sources that refer to the contents and general information of The Music of Grand Theft Auto V include:
- Stark, Chelsea (24 September 2013). "'Grand Theft Auto V' Soundtrack Blasts Onto iTunes". Mashable. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- Makuch, Eddie (24 September 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V music now on iTunes". CBS Interactive. Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- Firecloud, Johnny (24 September 2013). "GTA V Sounds: Music of Grand Theft Auto 5 Now Available in iTunes". CraveOnline. Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- R* Q (24 September 2013). "The Music of Grand Theft Auto V: Three Volume Digital Album Now Available on iTunes". Rockstar Games. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ^ a b "Tangerine Dream - The Cinematographic Score GTA 5 (CD, Album)". Discogs. Zink Media. 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ Pertou, Jacob (7 April 2014). "Jacobs TD Blog Presents An Exclusive Interview with Edgar Froese!". Jacob Pertou. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ "New Music Coming to GTAV: The Alchemist and Oh No Present Welcome to Los Santos". Rockstar Games. 6 March 2015. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Welcome to Los Santos - The Alchemist, Oh No". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- Pitchfork Media. Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- ^ Matson, Andrew (12 April 2015). "Review: The Alchemist & Oh No, 'Welcome To Los Santos'". NPR. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ "Movie Soundtracks: Top Soundtrack Album Charts". Billboard. May 2015. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. May 2015. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ "Grand Theft Auto Online: Arena War Official Soundtrack Out Now". Rockstar Games. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "DāM-FunK Presents The Music of Grand Theft Auto Online Original Score". Rockstar Newswire. Rockstar Games. 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Leight, Elias (15 December 2021). "Dr. Dre Just Released New Music, But Only 'Grand Theft Auto' Fans Can Hear It". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Bustard, Andy (15 December 2021). "Dr. Dre Had 'No Idea' What 'Grand Theft Auto' Was About Before 'The Contract' Collab". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ Skrebels, Joe (8 December 2021). "GTA Online Is Getting a Franklin Story Expansion, Set Years After GTA 5". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- Complex Network. Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (4 February 2022). "Listen to Dr. Dre's New Songs With Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and More From GTA Online: The Contract". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ "'Grand Theft Auto 5′ Gets Updated Soundtrack on Next-Gen and PC". GameRant. September 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ^ a b Shamoon, Evan (28 August 2013). "Inside the 'Grand Theft Auto V' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2013.