That sound you’re hearing is everyone being disappointed.
So for quite some time, one of the big things for Grand Theft Auto as a franchise has been the music. Specifically, the in-game radio stations, which played actual licensed tracks. And the licensed part is apparently the problem, because the playlists for Vice City and San Andreas in the GTA The Trilogy The Definitive Edition are missing massive chunks of what should be there.
And that’s a shame, as the music makes sort makes these games. I forget which video it is (might be either this or this?), but Muta/SomeOrdinaryGamers once pointed out just how tied to the game these songs were; the example given being in Vice City where, post-story scene, you get into a car, and Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean plays. It’s meant to hit you, and its absence is going to be felt by anyone that knows it’s supposed to be there, and possibly people who don’t.
And yet, according to multiple news outlets, none of which bothered to share the source of this quote but copied it from each other in rote, thus polluting any search results attempting to find the actual source… Nevermind. Here’s what Rockstar has supposedly said.
With more than 200 songs across 29 pioneering radio stations the series has become known for, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition’s iconic listings match the most recent release of the original versions (from 2014) – with no new changes. In addition to higher quality audio at 16bit 44hrz for all the source music from the stations as well as original ambient effects, players will also be able to experience the game in 5.1 Surround Sound.
That sounds better than it actually is. Because the most recent releases are already missing a massive number of tracks due to licenses expiring and either being too expensive, or unavailable to re-license. Hell, it’s already happening to GTA 4, from what I understand. Granted, all of GTA 3‘s music has been preserved. But it’s somewhat laughable that the DEFINITIVE EDITION of Vice City and San Andreas.
Granted, on the previous PC releases, you were able to mod the missing tracks back into the game. But you won’t be able to mod the DEFINITIVE EDITION of these games; they’re Rockstar Launcher exclusive on the PC. And they’ve delisted the original, moddable versions of these games. Not like that matters, given how hard they’ve been coming down on the people making mods for these games.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of others, here’s the damage:
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- 2 Live Crew – Get It Girl
- ABC – Poison Arrow
- Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force – Looking for the Perfect Beat
- Alcatrazz – God Blessed Video
- Aneka – Japanese Boy
- Animotion – Obsession
- The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star
- The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
- The Fixx – One Thing Leads to Another
- Gary Numan – Cars
- Herbie Hancock – Rockit
- Irakere – Añunga Ñunga
- Joe Jackson – Steppin’ Out
- John Waite – Missing You
- Kate Bush – Wow
- Lionel Richie – Running with the Night
- Love Fist – Fist Fury
- Loverboy – Working for the Weekend
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
- Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
- Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon
- Quiet Riot – Cum On Feel the Noize
- Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11
- Trouble Funk – Pump Me Up
- Tyrone Brunson – The Smurf
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- 2Pac (ft. Pogo) – I Don’t Give a Fuck
- Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
- The Blackbyrds – Rock Creek Park
- Black Harmony – Don’t Let It Go to Your Head
- Blood Sisters – Ring My Bell
- Bobby Byrd – Hot Pants – I’m Coming, I’m Coming, I’m Coming
- Bobby Byrd – I Know You Got Soul
- Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – Express Yourself
- Fatback Band – Yum Yum (Gimme Some)
- Gap Band – You Dropped a Bomb on Me
- George Clinton – Loopzilla
- James Brown – Funky President (People It’s Bad)
- James Brown – The Payback
- The JB’s – The Grunt
- Joe Cocker – Woman to Woman
- Lyn Collins – Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again
- Maceo & The Macks – Soul Power 74
- N.W.A. – Express Yourself
- Ozzy Osbourne – Hellraiser
- Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name
- Roy Ayers – Running Away
- Tom Petty – Runnin’ Down a Dream
Source: PC Gamer
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