GTA 5’s Soundtrack Is Still Iconic

No matter what opinion one may have of the franchise, it’s a simple fact that Grand Theft Auto 5‘s soundtrack is incredible. Rockstar has long had a talent for great soundtracks, and GTA 5 represents one of their greatest successes in that field. Even almost ten years later, and now with the release of GTA 5 Enhanced Edition, the music remains one of the game’s unquestionable highlights.

The Grand Theft Auto series has a reputation for excellent soundtracks, similar to the Tony Hawk games. A selection of excellent songs to listen to during gameplay is expected of the series, and GTA 5 does not disappoint. In fact, GTA 5‘s soundtrack may just be the best in the series, even surpassing San Andreas‘ classic ’90s tracklist. The series’ pedigree for soundtracks is so good that it’s bizarre to imagine that GTA‘s radio almost wasn’t added to the games. From the diversity of genres to the consistent high quality across the board, GTA 5‘s soundtrack is one of the best of its gaming generation.

GTA 5 has a lot of radio stations to choose from, all representing their own genres. Punk fans can tune in to Radio X, while lovers of classic soul can listen to The Lowdown 91.1. Rap and rock fans are especially blessed, with each genre getting two specialized stations, one for modern music, and one for the classics. A player can listen to one station and keep hearing a setlist from their favorite genre for as long as they’d like. As if that wasn’t enough, GTA Online updates added even more stations, giving players further options. With each station having a healthy amount of songs, it could take a good while before anyone gets bored of them.

GTA 5 Enhanced’s Radio Stations Have Incredible Songs For All Tastes

One good thing about Grand Theft Auto 5‘s radio is that no matter what station the player is listening to, it feels appropriate for the situation. Some songs are obvious perfect fits, such as cruising through the streets of Los Santos to the tune of the Geto Boys classic “Mind Playing Tricks on Me”, or “Amoeba” by The Adolescents blasting during a high-speed gunfight. However, even the more unusual picks such as Eddie Murphy’s “Party All The Time” feel right at home in GTA 5. Whether the mood is chill, tense, or energetic, there is always a fitting song somewhere on the radio to accompany a trip to one of GTA 5‘s most exhilarating missions.

Another indicator of the soundtrack’s quality is how songs from the game’s resident indie station, Radio Mirror Park, are used for the credits of each of the game’s endings, and they all fit perfectly. The ending with Trevor’s death is marked by “Don’t Come Close,” a somber song that embodies the group’s dissolution and betrayal. The same can be said of “Sleepwalking” in the ending where Michael dies. However, “The Set Up” in Ending C is a fun and funky track that can be seen as a celebration of how the gang managed to take out all of their tormentors in one fell swoop, and it fits GTA 5‘s most successful ending very well, furthering the optimistic note the game ends on.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is still proudly held up as a great title of its generation, and more people will be checking it out thanks to the GTA 5 Enhanced Edition. GTA 5‘s soundtrack is a large part of why it is so beloved. Not only did it introduce players to a wide variety of fantastic music, but it keeps the game lively and interesting with a backing track for every situation. For these reasons and more, Grand Theft Auto 5‘s soundtrack remains the series’ most iconic.

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