Grand Theft Auto's creators take a look at one of the key elements to this franchise's success: The soundtrack.
Courtesy of Rockstar Games
LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF GTA
Grand Theft Auto games have successfully combined cinematic narrative, intense action, humor and the freedom to explore and discover a living city to create an experience that has changed the face of entertainment forever. Another crucial ingredient to this cocktail is the in-game radio stations that have always filled the airwaves of Grand Theft Auto.
Rockstar realized that the audio experience needed to be rich given that players would be spending considerable amounts of time in vehicles throughout the game, and that the radio should reflect the notions of choice, diversity and outlaw freedom that the games were always about. So instead of a conventional soundtrack, the idea emerged to play the soundtrack within the world as playlists on a series of radio stations that were accessed by the stereos in vehicles.
The idea of radio stations created the opportunity for a diverse sound scape to the urban crime epics that Rockstar was crafting, and nothing compared to the sheer rush of jumping into a car to escape the law with music pumping over the airwaves as you made your escape.
Grand Theft Auto
(PC/PlayStation - 1997)
Released in 1997, the original Grand Theft Auto contained music composed to capture the essence of pop dance, heavy metal and country, and was the first videogame to feature in-car radio.
Seminal Moment: Stealing a pick-up truck and hearing it play country.
Grand Theft Auto: London, 1969
(PC/PlayStation - April 1999)
In order to capture the essence of London in the late 60s, Rockstar decided to license music from the era, focusing on a combination of funky Italian film scores and early reggae to give it the feeling of a British crime caper from the time.
Seminal Moment:
Driving an open topped 1960s sports car through Parliament Square while Radio Penelope played some classic 60s Italian funk.Grand Theft Auto 2
(PlayStation/PC - October 1999)
With Grand Theft Auto 2, Rockstar featured 11 radio stations and introduced the concept of in-game DJs to the GTA experience. The DJs and bands featured on the radio dial were made-up, but upon release of the game, as with the first Grand Theft Auto, outlets the world over began to review the music on its own merits, and a few even thought some of the acts were real.
Seminal Moment: Escaping from the Loonies while drum and bass roared out across the airwaves.
Posted: 14 Dec 2007
