Which GTA theme wins for you?? IMPORTANT: Our course platform now supports gifting! So if you want to pick up any of the Holiday Sale bundles for someone in your life who is starting or continuing their piano journey, all you have to do is select "Send as a gift" at checkout! cornellmusicacademy.com/holidaysale2023
Mr Cornell - I know this is terribly off-topic and maybe a bit rude…but I have the largest need to hear you give your illustrious understanding and relation to The Demon of Fleet Street’s Sweeny Todd musical with Johnny Depp….you have THE opinion we all want. Even with GTA! Lol Please, sir. You are a phenom of musical talent and your ear is pure perfection.
San Andreas & GTA 4 arguably have the most iconic theme songs, but it gets even better when you realise they were BOTH composed by the same guy - Michael Hunter!
I think the reason GTA V's theme is so often forgotten is the fact that you hardly ever hear it. The 3D era GTA games all had opening cinematics that featured their theme songs. The theme songs also play during the initial (and usually longest) loading screen when you first load your save file, and usually pieces of the theme play when completing a mission. The HD era GTA games lack opening cinematics, but GTA IV still features its main theme during the initial loading screen and upon mission completion while GTA V does not. I believe you only ever hear GTA V's theme song a grand total of 2 times in the game, and that's in the first cutscene and last cutscene of the game. Its a shame because I think GTA V has a really good theme song, you just never get to hear it.
GTA 4 has such a cool theme, it's full of dramatic orchestral composition mixed with groovy and layered beats, instantly memorable and deserving of way more recognition.
I knew “the best one” would be IV. It’s soooo good. Always gave me frisson and made me so excited to enter the game world. Seeing the notes played and chord changes now only cemented that awe.
It matches the tone of the game so well. It's dark and moody but it still has such a memorable hook. I honestly can't remember V theme because it feels like background music instead. I wish VI continues to create a memorable theme.
@@Greybell Oh of course we can't forget the slight shade thrown to GTA V whenever a GTA IV fanboy talks about his beloved game. My god you losers don't let up that easy, do you?
It should be noted that Rockstar/Michael Hunter stole the song from Shawn Lee, composer of Bully. They didn’t like his arrangement, told him to f*ck off, and then Michael Hunter took what Lee wrote and changed it up arrangement wise/instrument wise and that’s what we got today. Should be recognized properly. Shawn Lee’s Bully is an amazing OST
it's my favourite theme, and contrary to Charles' assessment, I think *this* was the first GTA theme that felt truly cinematic and not "just a song." it's unfortunate how the Liberty City Stories and its theme is often not just underrated but completely forgotten
GTA 2 has such an iconic theme, i played the hell out of that game when i was a kid, and i still play it to this day, is so groovy, i could listen to it for days. The music for the credits is cool too.
YES. Yes, I was about to leave that comment too. Hearing THAT music again in this video instantly made me want to go play it again AND listen to the whole soundtrack by itself. It's SO groovy and cool and noir, man. Especially that noir-element that's gotten kind of lost ever after. I mean there used to be a hint of seriousness behind all the farcical clownish light hearted comedy that's enveloped the series ever since. GTA 2 has easily the best soundtrack if the series. It would be cool if the new game would make nods to it in its soundtrack. I mean GTA 2 is so forgotten, but it's so so playable and rich still to this day. Oh, and that intro video to the game, can we talk more about that? Oh man...
@@andersv20 That intro video was so iconic to me, seeing those men getting blasted at the end while Claude walks off laughing, so cool, the strange characters that appear, those cartoonish Zaibatsu crates he carries around, that game´s whole vibe is so special man
GTA3 was the one for me. The chilled jazz vibe didn't hint at the utter lunacy about to unfold. I still use it as my alarm music on my phone. Nice way to start the day.
Yeah mate, especially when the credits are about to end like 10-12 seconds before the end, the music gives vibes which are.... unexplainable but wonderful and calm, soothing. I spent 12 out of 15 years of my life playing the game and well wow! ❤
Feels so good to see someone enjoying the GTA 4 theme as much as I do. I just wish you would have shown the climax of the song right after Nico says "could be". The violin in that part makes me feel like crying every damn time.
GTA music is always very location and time based and very fitting (with it's own twist of course, lots of hip-hop influence even since the 2D games) And radios since GTA 3 (THE GOAT) are almost hand crafted, lots of writing, lots of thinking and lots of choosing (not a single bad track on them radios, not a single one out of place), that absolutely shows. And it doesn't even include JUST GTA games, MC series is also effing brilliant (opened my closed up heart to the world of trance techno with them "Brain" tracks)
I would agree, but the theme was a bit overshadowed by the trailer's use of Wang Chung's Dance Hall Days, which I think a lot of people got into the game more with.
Pretty sure if you ask anyone they would say that the San Andreas theme is the most iconic and will ever be. However, not the most complex compared to the other ones, but definitely the most memorable.
Yep. Actually reminds me of Max Payne. Strikes the perfect balance of dark, curious, intriguing yet interesting, with a slight bit of hope in the end...
It's the best game, with the best music, to be fair. But maybe not the best original theme song. Though I personally love it. Listen to that and you're instantly transported to 1980s Miami.
Curious fact: in the beginning of GTA Vice City, it has that intro in which you hear "Video killed the radio star" In the background and you're launching in the computer the GTA Vice City game through what I would call a "cartridge". Once you give the input to start launching the game it plays an 8-bit 80s videogame version of the GTA 1 theme. A neat nice nod to the beginning of the saga 5 years before (at the time: 1997/2002)
To me the gta 4 theme sounds like being in the sewers in a very dark and criminal world, a bit like what liberty city is. The theme really illustrates the vibe I get from the storyline of gta 4. Such a fitting soundtrack
I think we all know 4 has the best theme with Soviet Connection. My personal favorite is the SA theme but I really cant get over how much depth GTA 4’s theme has
It's so hard to decide between III, SA, and IV. They're all the definition of iconic. As soon as you hear them you get the entire vibe in a split second.
I’ll probably be one of many who ask you to cover Rockstar’s other properties: the Red Dead Redemption I and II soundtracks. They are such a perfect mix of music that contributed to me actually sobbing during parts of RDR2. RDR2 especially just elevated videogame soundtracks to another level despite 35+ years of iconic music. That goes for both the spaghetti western orchestral music as well as the songs (sung by the likes of Willie Nelson and D’Angelo etc.) that play during key parts of the story. If you haven’t already (and if you have time), I’d recommend playing RDR2 first before listening to the soundtrack so you can experience the music through all the crazy moments of the story.
GTA IV has probably the greatest theme I've heard in any medium. I haven't really heard anything that sounds like it, and yet it completely captures the mature, dark and eastern European vibe of the game.
In the GTA:SA theme, right after the main melody that lasts 4 bars or so, a set of chord plays; a chord progression of sorts. It is genuinely one that surprised me the first time I heard the full track, and I was somewhat excited to see it here; sadly, that is not what happened which is unfortunate, but I do suggest giving the full theme a listen and hearing that chord progression. It is excellent.
GTA IV always gets my vote. I recently revisited all the GTA games during covid and the only one that still grabs me is IV. I believe V had some great advancements in terms of evolving the storyline and even some gameplay, but overall, IV is the apex of the series thus far. Also the soundtrack had so many bangers and it hasn't been matched, although I'd say VC is a very close 2nd in that dept. Excited for VI though.
The best in-game music in GTA V isn't the main theme, but the pause menu music. Both the in-game version and Tangerine Dream's original cinematographic score version of the piece, called 'Beyond the Weakest Point', are gorgeous pieces of ambient music.
Iconic but not enough. When u think on vice city that's probably the last thing u remember. With GTA 4, Sa and even 3 its definitely one of the first things u remember about the game.
I think San Andreas has the most iconic theme as a GTA theme, but GTA IV is also extremely recognizable in its own right. I’ve never played GTA but when those strings came in I went “oooohhh it’s this song”
"Short Change" by E-Z Rollers for GTA2 does it for me. Not only is it grooving hard, but is also similar (in feel) to the most mafia-associated tune at the time in Alabama 3's "Woke Up This Morning", i.e. The Sopranos theme song.
I really appreciate the level of commitment to fluidity and going with your gut with the musicians that made these intros. Such great choices to basically bookended decades with how each one of the most famous games ever start when you load it up
In the case of GTAV I honestly remember its loading screen soundtrack over its theme song lol. Probably because at times the game would take minutes on end to load!
GTA 3 and 4 have an iconic theme, and they depict the atmosphere of the game very well and of the time and place. These themes work very well with the Liberty City Theme also.
GTA 2's theme song is Short Change by E-Z Rollers from their Weekend World album and I really love that album so for me it's my favourite overall. But I also really like the GTA 3 theme, it's very reminiscent of something like David Axelrod to me. Of course all the other ones are great too.
Glad you mentioned the in-game radio DJs, they were so cool and it's crazy how many different people they've had, Bootsy Collins, Iggy Pop, Chuck D, Axl Rose, Kenny Loggins, DJ Premier, Trent Reznor 🤯🤯 got to be 4 for me, back in the day I had it on PC and it took a million years to load, the theme would play on loop on the loading screen so it's ingrained in my brain forever
RDR2 has incredible original music, would love for you to do a deep dive into some of the tracks, particularly some of the cinematic tracks or the chase theme
I completely agree, GTA IV is the most iconic for me! Plus, I feel they add more of the theme throughout the game through motifs whenever you complete a mission, which GTA V didn’t, so it’s more memorable. Oh, and Giant Steps on the jazz radio station was the cherry on top for GTA IV!
between the games i have completed, namely San Andreas, IV and V, I'll say that GTA IV takes the cake. If I were to include the other titles I never had a chance to play then III may be a close contender to IV, since I love just how jazzy and nostalgic it sounds!
Definitely GTA IV for me. But it's not just the main theme but also the loading screen and menu music. And yes, GTA IV is also my favourite game in the series. BUT: I do love that you played a clip of Dr. Ray DeAngelo Harris, that's probably my favourite radio show ever :D Gave a whole new meaning to "ants in your pants" (no, they just eat the sh*t that's coming out your *ss!) :D
I'm so glad you went back to the original, because that was the first one I played back in the day. Funny thing was, you could take the PS1 disc and put it into a CD player, and all the radio stations were tracks you could listen to! I still contend that the original Theme song remains the best original GTA theme.
Stumbled onto your page the other day when I saw you went over one of my all time fave games streets of rage 2. Had to comment on this one. In order of best to me its gta3, gtaIV then maybe gta vice city. I don't know what it is about the piano intro in gta3 that sends chills down my spine because ots was the first game I had on the ps2 and the game is just nostalgic and awesome. Keep up the great work.
For me, Vice City and IV have the best themes. I remember playing VC for the first time when it came out all those years ago and the theme song was such a vibe. GTA IV was also just so amazing. Exactly like you said - it almost feels movie-like. Both themes really helped set the overall tone and theme for the games so perfectly.
For me, it's the *demo* for GTA 1. It was limited to 5 minutes of the first level. Reload and repeat. To keep the file size down, the devs cut a 5 minute mix featuring ~30s from each song on the soundtrack. That 5 min track has been stuck in my head for the last 25 years! 😅
It's hard for me to pick one. The thing that holds true for all of them (certainly from 3 onwards) is that they send me right back to when I first played them. They're all just so thematically strong. For GTA V, I would argue that the theme isn't even the most iconic piece of original music from the game. Some of the mission music, like "North Yankton Memories" by the late great Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream) is much more iconic.
GTAVC was the one i must've spent the most time with, before GTAV. It just felt like going into a holiday paradise, just feeling like you'rer gonna have a great time out there. Sometimes i'd just start the game, only for the theme.
100% Easy to miss since it was a PSP game, but that one would probably come in second after GTA 4. The theme for me, was way more memorable than the game even which I barely recall, but that theme was legit.
@@Atomicfog I played it on an emulator on my s3 tablet, never knew it was a psp game, explains why it ran so flawlessly in 4k at 120fps on it.. it doesn't even have a gfx card.
I've been listening to vgm jazz covers for around 10 years now and can't believe I haven't heard any of these GTA themes covered. Charles' playing made me want to sit at the piano and jam to the OST (but I'll need to take one of his courses first!). Great appreciation of music which is sometimes underappreciated.
Honestly, for me all GTA themes are so good that it's hard to choose a most iconic one as they all represent each games vibes very well. Only one i feel is genuinely underrated is LCS's due to how the game was quite simplistic since it was the first portable GTA, but it really slaps and fits the game's theme
I only played GTA V, but I must say the original track 'We Were Set Up' is a banger. It used to autoplay every time I got in my car to went to work, and it always got me pumped.
Vice City's theme is an absolute bop and would be my pick for best theme if not for San Andreas. Also GTA 2's theme went surprisingly hard . Never heard it before but I dig it alot.
The Score (Pause Menu music included) for GTAV is probably one of the best games soundtracks out there; it sets such a perfect tone for pretty much every possible situation within the game It may go unnoticed because it just blends in perfectly, but once you listen closely to it, you will always hear it
I love your videos Charles, I really enjoyed the analysis from Dragon Ball, Pokemon and Zelda! GTA was also a big part from my childhood. I was wondering if you could also break down the Tekken intro themes, since they released Tekken 8 recently. Cheers!
I only watched this to hear your take on GTA IV; and you nailed it as always! I used to listen to Soviet Connection on loop from my old MP3 player, after recording it from my TV. 😅
GTAIV is king. Any time I hear the theme kick in while loading I'm just pumped to play. That reminds me that the Red Dead Redemption games have killer soundtracks as well.
1. Great breakdown. The GTAV theme is legendary along with the loading screen theme. It’s unfortunate that GTVA isn’t getting much love because that track is a banger! 2. What is the outro music at 12:23???
GTA definitely has score as well. Any of the missions, the races, even when you're trying to escape the cops, there's pieces of score that will seamlessly work their way in.
Lots of gtav music (especially dlc ambient mission music) was made by popular producers. Take A Daytrip produced several beats for the Import/Export dlc, and they’re extraordinary
GTA IV takes the cake for me. I still remember seeing that first trailer, and that music got me hyped up (along with what I was seeing). I knew a guy who worked at a distribution centre, and he stole a copy for me about a month before the midnight release in stores. I made so many of my friends and colleagues jealous during that time😅
A lot of people may not know this about the GTA 2 theme, but it was performed by E-Z Rollers, one of the most iconic drum and bass groups of the 90's and a huge staple of the Moving Shadow record label.
Gta 4 has so much depth and it always reminds me of Niko and his grim story. Also in my opinion the bassline for 5 carries its theme. The way it rides along with the music and lets it pop is such a nice vibe for me.
It’s GTAV’s for me. I was hearing it in my head when I saw the thumbnail to the video. It just rules for me. One of those tracks that makes me head bob constantly and just jam.
PLEASE do a breakdown of what makes the Skyrim soundtrack by Jeremy Soule such an iconic piece of work. Some of those chords are amazing. You would do such a good job with that.
San Andreas is the only one I can immediately conjure up in my head note for note. It also perfectly captures the west coast vibe of the game. I played every one of these extensively and felt like I was hearing them all for the first time except SA.
Totally agree with your take on the GTA V Theme. I always forget how it sounds but when i hear it im like ahh yes thats it! Whereas the GTA IV and San Andreas Themes are really memorable.
GTA-4 opening credits were incredible! You were about to become a movie star playing Nikko Bellic's life story... The opening credits and music really got me super excited to play this game. However, I think that times have changed for good. Game companies focus more on multiplayer now because they can make more money at it
Taking a pun and running with it, flying on GTA Five strikes a chord with me when that song plays when you turn the radio off. And that brass orchestra... pa pa raaaaa...
Might not have the best theme but god do I love GTA 1 OST. Made by Craig Connor and Grant Middleton. There are some truly magnificent tracks there. Also GTA 2 OST is worth mentioning here.
Which GTA theme wins for you?? IMPORTANT: Our course platform now supports gifting! So if you want to pick up any of the Holiday Sale bundles for someone in your life who is starting or continuing their piano journey, all you have to do is select "Send as a gift" at checkout! cornellmusicacademy.com/holidaysale2023
It's gotta be San Andreas. It could be a bias that I spent a good part of my teens playing it, but I still think it's the best theme and soundtrack.
Liberty City Stories lmao, if only you had covered the spinoff titles.
a underrated one is the vice city stories theme
Please do a video on Godzilla Minus One film score!!!!
Mr Cornell - I know this is terribly off-topic and maybe a bit rude…but I have the largest need to hear you give your illustrious understanding and relation to The Demon of Fleet Street’s Sweeny Todd musical with Johnny Depp….you have THE opinion we all want. Even with GTA! Lol
Please, sir. You are a phenom of musical talent and your ear is pure perfection.
GTAIV's Soviet Connection was redone by the Danish Orchestra and it was an absolutely amazing version. It's on YT.
Unfortunately it doesn't match the original tempo BUT someone took the effort to change the speed of the video and it's glorious
There's also the London Philharmonic Orchestra version!
I absolutely love the danish orchestra!
YES!! I was at that concert myself. It was so well done!
Kinda sad because they unlisted the video on YT, so good luck finding it
San Andreas & GTA 4 arguably have the most iconic theme songs, but it gets even better when you realise they were BOTH composed by the same guy - Michael Hunter!
what a guy!
I actually thought they sounded kind of similar, when he was playing them on the piano!
Mike Hunt makes the best music.
"GTA IV has the best soundtrack. Unlike GTA V it feels redundant." -Broken record GTA IV fanboy.
@@SN57ONEyes, childhood left after GTA IV
Gta 4 theme was my favourite by far, still sends chills down my spine
I think the reason GTA V's theme is so often forgotten is the fact that you hardly ever hear it. The 3D era GTA games all had opening cinematics that featured their theme songs. The theme songs also play during the initial (and usually longest) loading screen when you first load your save file, and usually pieces of the theme play when completing a mission. The HD era GTA games lack opening cinematics, but GTA IV still features its main theme during the initial loading screen and upon mission completion while GTA V does not. I believe you only ever hear GTA V's theme song a grand total of 2 times in the game, and that's in the first cutscene and last cutscene of the game. Its a shame because I think GTA V has a really good theme song, you just never get to hear it.
Ye when he said GTV V theme he didn't play what I was expecting which actually is a really good theme, but is just the loading song.
don't forget about pause menu music 👼
@Skankhunt6969 cap, they gave it a whole Freddie Gibbs verse
@Skankhunt6969 lol ok nerd😂
@Skankhunt6969 also good job on editing your comment and still misspelling forgettable😂 that shit is hilarious
GTA 4 has such a cool theme, it's full of dramatic orchestral composition mixed with groovy and layered beats, instantly memorable and deserving of way more recognition.
I knew “the best one” would be IV. It’s soooo good. Always gave me frisson and made me so excited to enter the game world. Seeing the notes played and chord changes now only cemented that awe.
It matches the tone of the game so well. It's dark and moody but it still has such a memorable hook. I honestly can't remember V theme because it feels like background music instead. I wish VI continues to create a memorable theme.
@@Greybell Oh of course we can't forget the slight shade thrown to GTA V whenever a GTA IV fanboy talks about his beloved game. My god you losers don't let up that easy, do you?
@@awAtercoLorstaIn. You forgot the slight shade you throw on GTA V whenever you talk about GTA IV.
It should be noted that Rockstar/Michael Hunter stole the song from Shawn Lee, composer of Bully. They didn’t like his arrangement, told him to f*ck off, and then Michael Hunter took what Lee wrote and changed it up arrangement wise/instrument wise and that’s what we got today.
Should be recognized properly. Shawn Lee’s Bully is an amazing OST
the Liberty City Stories theme "dark march" is great and underrated imo, probably bc it's sort of a side game
It's the best
it's my favourite theme, and contrary to Charles' assessment, I think *this* was the first GTA theme that felt truly cinematic and not "just a song." it's unfortunate how the Liberty City Stories and its theme is often not just underrated but completely forgotten
IV's theme had to be influenced by the LCS theme, at least little bit.
Preach my fellow LCS Fan!
It really is great, and not very well known since the PSP games were so underrated.
GTA 2 has such an iconic theme, i played the hell out of that game when i was a kid, and i still play it to this day, is so groovy, i could listen to it for days. The music for the credits is cool too.
yes dude the intro scene with the white beamer 5 series
I've never heard 2s until now
SOUL SHAKING
YES. Yes, I was about to leave that comment too. Hearing THAT music again in this video instantly made me want to go play it again AND listen to the whole soundtrack by itself. It's SO groovy and cool and noir, man. Especially that noir-element that's gotten kind of lost ever after. I mean there used to be a hint of seriousness behind all the farcical clownish light hearted comedy that's enveloped the series ever since. GTA 2 has easily the best soundtrack if the series. It would be cool if the new game would make nods to it in its soundtrack. I mean GTA 2 is so forgotten, but it's so so playable and rich still to this day. Oh, and that intro video to the game, can we talk more about that? Oh man...
@@andersv20 That intro video was so iconic to me, seeing those men getting blasted at the end while Claude walks off laughing, so cool, the strange characters that appear, those cartoonish Zaibatsu crates he carries around, that game´s whole vibe is so special man
GTA3 was the one for me. The chilled jazz vibe didn't hint at the utter lunacy about to unfold. I still use it as my alarm music on my phone. Nice way to start the day.
Yeah mate, especially when the credits are about to end like 10-12 seconds before the end, the music gives vibes which are.... unexplainable but wonderful and calm, soothing. I spent 12 out of 15 years of my life playing the game and well wow! ❤
Agreed with you guys totally 💯💯❤️❤️
GTA 4 takes the cake for me. I even got to hear a live orchestra perform the theme song. It was absolutely insane.
Feels so good to see someone enjoying the GTA 4 theme as much as I do. I just wish you would have shown the climax of the song right after Nico says "could be". The violin in that part makes me feel like crying every damn time.
I was waiting for that
Where's the "I can't say the same with GTA V" rhetoric, fanboy?
@@SN57ONE what are you talking about? are you coming here to try to start a fight for no reason? If so, I would gladly beat your ass just for fun.
@SN57ONE seems like you're the fanboy here
us brother
GTA San Andreas theme is definitely inspired by the G-Funk era sound, fitting the location really well.
GTA music is always very location and time based and very fitting (with it's own twist of course, lots of hip-hop influence even since the 2D games)
And radios since GTA 3 (THE GOAT) are almost hand crafted, lots of writing, lots of thinking and lots of choosing (not a single bad track on them radios, not a single one out of place), that absolutely shows.
And it doesn't even include JUST GTA games, MC series is also effing brilliant (opened my closed up heart to the world of trance techno with them "Brain" tracks)
San Andreas sounds like the theme song of Kenan and Kel
I hear it and instantly think of Los Angeles in the '90s
GTA IV was so cinematic, I always thought it deserved a movie remake. I mean the whole story and some of the score is written for them!
Bro gta Vice city theme is probably the most pumpin one after gta 4’s theme. Shit sets the mood for the whole Miami backdrop
I would agree, but the theme was a bit overshadowed by the trailer's use of Wang Chung's Dance Hall Days, which I think a lot of people got into the game more with.
For sure GTA:SA takes it for me. Such an amazing song and really stuck with one or two generations since.
Pretty sure if you ask anyone they would say that the San Andreas theme is the most iconic and will ever be. However, not the most complex compared to the other ones, but definitely the most memorable.
It's either SA or IV themes, both are so iconic
@@Belthilit’s SA by a landslide
gtasa overrated af
IV is the overrated one
GTA III is so underrated. All of the themes of that generation of GTA games were stellar.
why are all of the liberty city themes 🔥
Naw bro, the first two GTA games are underrated as they never get remastered or rereleased compared to GTA III onwards.
Naw Bro. The first two GTA Themes are totally underrated, and they don’t get remastered compared to GTA 3 onwards.
@@ShockwaveFPSStudios Yeah i used to play gta 2 all the time back then.
To me, it's GTA IV: it had its own character to the franchise that no other licensed music themes could convey.
wrong vice city is better
Yep. Actually reminds me of Max Payne. Strikes the perfect balance of dark, curious, intriguing yet interesting, with a slight bit of hope in the end...
Honestly it's between SA or IV, the others are good and a fan would recognize them but not the public overall
@@COG4Lwrong
@@joedwyer3297 if only i cared what a pedo believed 💀
It may not have the best theme, but Vice City was the only GTA game I managed to stick through all the way to the end and beat.
The theme fits the atmosphere really well though
Check out the credits music
It's the best game, with the best music, to be fair. But maybe not the best original theme song. Though I personally love it. Listen to that and you're instantly transported to 1980s Miami.
The only one I beat was GTA: Liberty City Stories for PSP
Not the best, but still a great theme regardless. I'd put it in 3rd place behind San Andreas and IV.
Curious fact: in the beginning of GTA Vice City, it has that intro in which you hear "Video killed the radio star" In the background and you're launching in the computer the GTA Vice City game through what I would call a "cartridge". Once you give the input to start launching the game it plays an 8-bit 80s videogame version of the GTA 1 theme. A neat nice nod to the beginning of the saga 5 years before (at the time: 1997/2002)
More specifically it shows loading the game from a cassette on a Commodore 64. "PRESS PLAY ON TAPE".
To me the gta 4 theme sounds like being in the sewers in a very dark and criminal world, a bit like what liberty city is. The theme really illustrates the vibe I get from the storyline of gta 4. Such a fitting soundtrack
and the game has a dark storyline
I think we all know 4 has the best theme with Soviet Connection. My personal favorite is the SA theme but I really cant get over how much depth GTA 4’s theme has
It's so hard to decide between III, SA, and IV. They're all the definition of iconic. As soon as you hear them you get the entire vibe in a split second.
wrong vice city is better
@@COG4LL
@@rajput36000 stay mad son 💀💀
@@COG4Ldude you are here in every comment section crying. for all the deserved praise the soundtrack gets the theme is ass.
@@COG4L Bro why vice city fanboys are soo anoying??. Wtf
I’ll probably be one of many who ask you to cover Rockstar’s other properties: the Red Dead Redemption I and II soundtracks. They are such a perfect mix of music that contributed to me actually sobbing during parts of RDR2. RDR2 especially just elevated videogame soundtracks to another level despite 35+ years of iconic music. That goes for both the spaghetti western orchestral music as well as the songs (sung by the likes of Willie Nelson and D’Angelo etc.) that play during key parts of the story. If you haven’t already (and if you have time), I’d recommend playing RDR2 first before listening to the soundtrack so you can experience the music through all the crazy moments of the story.
Absolutely. Couldn’t have said this better.
I support this!
Yeah rdr2 soundtrack is absolutely amazing
Michael Hunter did an amazing job with the GTA 4 Soundtrack!
GTA IV has probably the greatest theme I've heard in any medium. I haven't really heard anything that sounds like it, and yet it completely captures the mature, dark and eastern European vibe of the game.
In the GTA:SA theme, right after the main melody that lasts 4 bars or so, a set of chord plays; a chord progression of sorts. It is genuinely one that surprised me the first time I heard the full track, and I was somewhat excited to see it here; sadly, that is not what happened which is unfortunate, but I do suggest giving the full theme a listen and hearing that chord progression. It is excellent.
GTA IV always gets my vote. I recently revisited all the GTA games during covid and the only one that still grabs me is IV. I believe V had some great advancements in terms of evolving the storyline and even some gameplay, but overall, IV is the apex of the series thus far. Also the soundtrack had so many bangers and it hasn't been matched, although I'd say VC is a very close 2nd in that dept. Excited for VI though.
*Its Criminal to not include GTA: Liberty City Stories Theme song*
Absolutely
Facts
True
AGREED
The best in-game music in GTA V isn't the main theme, but the pause menu music. Both the in-game version and Tangerine Dream's original cinematographic score version of the piece, called 'Beyond the Weakest Point', are gorgeous pieces of ambient music.
The entire score for GTA V is brilliant. So underrated. Tangerine Dream are the best.
Man, GTA Vice City theme was SOOO iconic! Love that tune!
not even close
Iconic but not enough. When u think on vice city that's probably the last thing u remember. With GTA 4, Sa and even 3 its definitely one of the first things u remember about the game.
I think San Andreas has the most iconic theme as a GTA theme, but GTA IV is also extremely recognizable in its own right. I’ve never played GTA but when those strings came in I went “oooohhh it’s this song”
wrong vice city is better
@@COG4LGTA 4 fans (re*ards) when they see a differing opinion: 😡🤬🤯
@@COG4Lwrong it's not
@@khylechristianderosales1894 yes it is stay mad 🧑🏽🌾 😂😂
@@COG4L the majority seems to think otherwise
"Short Change" by E-Z Rollers for GTA2 does it for me. Not only is it grooving hard, but is also similar (in feel) to the most mafia-associated tune at the time in Alabama 3's "Woke Up This Morning", i.e. The Sopranos theme song.
I really appreciate the level of commitment to fluidity and going with your gut with the musicians that made these intros. Such great choices to basically bookended decades with how each one of the most famous games ever start when you load it up
GTA London 1969 was the first to have a licenced soundtrack. Was really good too.
and although it was licensed music, the theme song kicked ass
In the case of GTAV I honestly remember its loading screen soundtrack over its theme song lol. Probably because at times the game would take minutes on end to load!
0:47 GTA I
1:42 GTA II
3:04 GTA III
4:36 GTA VC
5:27 GTA SA
7:14 GTA IV
9:33 GTA V
Oh yeah the GTA2 music! Great memories!
Thank you so much for the great video.
GTA 3 and 4 have an iconic theme, and they depict the atmosphere of the game very well and of the time and place. These themes work very well with the Liberty City Theme also.
wrong vice city is better
Dude Every GTA has a fuckin dope theme
GTA 2's theme song is Short Change by E-Z Rollers from their Weekend World album and I really love that album so for me it's my favourite overall. But I also really like the GTA 3 theme, it's very reminiscent of something like David Axelrod to me. Of course all the other ones are great too.
Why did Charles' attempt at finding the notes for the first gta theme at 0:55 sound like seven nation army haha
Great video as always.
Song at the end is
Baegel & Bomull - Moon Lilies
For those interested
Glad you mentioned the in-game radio DJs, they were so cool and it's crazy how many different people they've had, Bootsy Collins, Iggy Pop, Chuck D, Axl Rose, Kenny Loggins, DJ Premier, Trent Reznor 🤯🤯 got to be 4 for me, back in the day I had it on PC and it took a million years to load, the theme would play on loop on the loading screen so it's ingrained in my brain forever
RDR2 has incredible original music, would love for you to do a deep dive into some of the tracks, particularly some of the cinematic tracks or the chase theme
I think my favorite RDR2 track is when the train hrist starts for "Our Best Selves". The bass piano riff is just ... Bliss.
No love for the American Venom?
I completely agree, GTA IV is the most iconic for me! Plus, I feel they add more of the theme throughout the game through motifs whenever you complete a mission, which GTA V didn’t, so it’s more memorable.
Oh, and Giant Steps on the jazz radio station was the cherry on top for GTA IV!
wrong vice city is better
between the games i have completed, namely San Andreas, IV and V, I'll say that GTA IV takes the cake. If I were to include the other titles I never had a chance to play then III may be a close contender to IV, since I love just how jazzy and nostalgic it sounds!
Soviet Connection was just the perfect game theme, so memorable, a certified 2000s banger.
Definitely GTA IV for me. But it's not just the main theme but also the loading screen and menu music. And yes, GTA IV is also my favourite game in the series. BUT: I do love that you played a clip of Dr. Ray DeAngelo Harris, that's probably my favourite radio show ever :D Gave a whole new meaning to "ants in your pants" (no, they just eat the sh*t that's coming out your *ss!) :D
Bruv you know I’m replying GTA IV for the 8th time now, yet I’ve only played GTA V’s story once and forgot about it
The way you voiced the Vice City chords was VERY Hans Zimmer - that D major voicing was right out of Time!
I'm so glad you went back to the original, because that was the first one I played back in the day. Funny thing was, you could take the PS1 disc and put it into a CD player, and all the radio stations were tracks you could listen to! I still contend that the original Theme song remains the best original GTA theme.
Stumbled onto your page the other day when I saw you went over one of my all time fave games streets of rage 2. Had to comment on this one. In order of best to me its gta3, gtaIV then maybe gta vice city. I don't know what it is about the piano intro in gta3 that sends chills down my spine because ots was the first game I had on the ps2 and the game is just nostalgic and awesome. Keep up the great work.
For me, Vice City and IV have the best themes. I remember playing VC for the first time when it came out all those years ago and the theme song was such a vibe. GTA IV was also just so amazing. Exactly like you said - it almost feels movie-like. Both themes really helped set the overall tone and theme for the games so perfectly.
vice city theme sounds meh...SA better
For me, it's the *demo* for GTA 1. It was limited to 5 minutes of the first level. Reload and repeat. To keep the file size down, the devs cut a 5 minute mix featuring ~30s from each song on the soundtrack. That 5 min track has been stuck in my head for the last 25 years! 😅
5:24 Bro that theme is magic.
It gets lost to time but as soon as you hear it again ☺️☺️
wrong vice city is better
The GTA radio commercials and talk show bits are goatted 😂
It's hard for me to pick one. The thing that holds true for all of them (certainly from 3 onwards) is that they send me right back to when I first played them. They're all just so thematically strong.
For GTA V, I would argue that the theme isn't even the most iconic piece of original music from the game. Some of the mission music, like "North Yankton Memories" by the late great Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream) is much more iconic.
The pause menu music in GTA V does it for me. Very sublime.
i agree. north yankton memories is really good
GTA4 theme i will always remember and know, but to me it gave me melancholy vibes.
love your videos man!
GTAVC was the one i must've spent the most time with, before GTAV. It just felt like going into a holiday paradise, just feeling like you'rer gonna have a great time out there.
Sometimes i'd just start the game, only for the theme.
I wish you talked about Liberty City Stories as well, it has one of my favourite themes from the GTAs. It has such a punch to it
Highly underrated for sure, both game and soundtrack
100% Easy to miss since it was a PSP game, but that one would probably come in second after GTA 4. The theme for me, was way more memorable than the game even which I barely recall, but that theme was legit.
@@Atomicfogand ps2 game as well
Same with GTA London 1969/1961,Advance,Vice City Stories,The Lost and Damned,The Ballad of Gay Tony,GTA Online
@@Atomicfog I played it on an emulator on my s3 tablet, never knew it was a psp game, explains why it ran so flawlessly in 4k at 120fps on it.. it doesn't even have a gfx card.
I've been listening to vgm jazz covers for around 10 years now and can't believe I haven't heard any of these GTA themes covered. Charles' playing made me want to sit at the piano and jam to the OST (but I'll need to take one of his courses first!). Great appreciation of music which is sometimes underappreciated.
Honestly, for me all GTA themes are so good that it's hard to choose a most iconic one as they all represent each games vibes very well. Only one i feel is genuinely underrated is LCS's due to how the game was quite simplistic since it was the first portable GTA, but it really slaps and fits the game's theme
I only played GTA V, but I must say the original track 'We Were Set Up' is a banger. It used to autoplay every time I got in my car to went to work, and it always got me pumped.
Vice City's theme is an absolute bop and would be my pick for best theme if not for San Andreas. Also GTA 2's theme went surprisingly hard . Never heard it before but I dig it alot.
San Andreas’ theme is without a doubt the most iconic one!
The Score (Pause Menu music included) for GTAV is probably one of the best games soundtracks out there; it sets such a perfect tone for pretty much every possible situation within the game
It may go unnoticed because it just blends in perfectly, but once you listen closely to it, you will always hear it
both GTA London entries definitely takes the spot for me. Introduced me into the British big beat music era.
The theme from GTA Liberty City Stories is up there for me
GTA IV’s theme reminds me of Succession’s theme. Both orchestral and in Cminor with a hip hop beat under it.
I love your videos Charles, I really enjoyed the analysis from Dragon Ball, Pokemon and Zelda! GTA was also a big part from my childhood. I was wondering if you could also break down the Tekken intro themes, since they released Tekken 8 recently. Cheers!
GREAT videos as always.
love that gta 1 and 2 got mentioned :) those games still hold up in my opinion
Very underrated they started it all but the top up game style put them in the dust especially after gta 3
Still petitioning for a Spyro episode. Stuart Copeland put some incredible syncopation and rhythm into those games
I only watched this to hear your take on GTA IV; and you nailed it as always! I used to listen to Soviet Connection on loop from my old MP3 player, after recording it from my TV. 😅
Is there a video of all gta songs played fully, its breathtaking
GTAIV is king. Any time I hear the theme kick in while loading I'm just pumped to play.
That reminds me that the Red Dead Redemption games have killer soundtracks as well.
GTA 4 got to be the most memorable👌
It would be sooo cool if you break down Assassin’s Creed’s theme songs 👏👏
1. Great breakdown. The GTAV theme is legendary along with the loading screen theme. It’s unfortunate that GTVA isn’t getting much love because that track is a banger!
2. What is the outro music at 12:23???
GTA definitely has score as well. Any of the missions, the races, even when you're trying to escape the cops, there's pieces of score that will seamlessly work their way in.
San Andreas has to be the most iconic imo
Lots of gtav music (especially dlc ambient mission music) was made by popular producers. Take A Daytrip produced several beats for the Import/Export dlc, and they’re extraordinary
Producers? Tangerine Dream is a band. Their work on GTA V is brilliant.
Brilliant. I wish you also broke down themes from the Stories and Episodes games :)
GTA IV takes the cake for me. I still remember seeing that first trailer, and that music got me hyped up (along with what I was seeing).
I knew a guy who worked at a distribution centre, and he stole a copy for me about a month before the midnight release in stores. I made so many of my friends and colleagues jealous during that time😅
Man this guy has the widest listening ear on the whole planet! That's what makes this channel great
A lot of people may not know this about the GTA 2 theme, but it was performed by E-Z Rollers, one of the most iconic drum and bass groups of the 90's and a huge staple of the Moving Shadow record label.
Moving Shadow was well linked up with R*. There was a couple MSX FM albums the label actually released themselves.
Agreed. GTA 4 theme is on my TH-cam music playlist and I love listening to it!
Gta 4 has so much depth and it always reminds me of Niko and his grim story.
Also in my opinion the bassline for 5 carries its theme. The way it rides along with the music and lets it pop is such a nice vibe for me.
It’s GTAV’s for me. I was hearing it in my head when I saw the thumbnail to the video. It just rules for me. One of those tracks that makes me head bob constantly and just jam.
PLEASE do a breakdown of what makes the Skyrim soundtrack by Jeremy Soule such an iconic piece of work. Some of those chords are amazing. You would do such a good job with that.
Oblivion too. Soule created the soundtrack for Oblivion after surviving a car crash and you can hear the passion throughout it.
San Andreas is the only one I can immediately conjure up in my head note for note. It also perfectly captures the west coast vibe of the game. I played every one of these extensively and felt like I was hearing them all for the first time except SA.
Totally agree with your take on the GTA V Theme. I always forget how it sounds but when i hear it im like ahh yes thats it! Whereas the GTA IV and San Andreas Themes are really memorable.
GTA2 will always be the nostagia staple for me. I would play the game and just sit on the intro just to listen to it.
Yessir
GTA-4 opening credits were incredible! You were about to become a movie star playing Nikko Bellic's life story... The opening credits and music really got me super excited to play this game. However, I think that times have changed for good. Game companies focus more on multiplayer now because they can make more money at it
Taking a pun and running with it, flying on GTA Five strikes a chord with me when that song plays when you turn the radio off. And that brass orchestra... pa pa raaaaa...
GTA 4 has a special place in my heart
We need the music from Red dead redemption 2!!
GTA 4 and San Andreas will never be topped, they are just so good I don't know how anyone could do better
My favorites: IV > SA/V > VC/III > I/II
Most iconic: IV > SA > VC/V > III,II,I
8:12 IT'S LIKE I'M PARANOID LOOKING OVER MY BACK
Might not have the best theme but god do I love GTA 1 OST. Made by Craig Connor and Grant Middleton. There are some truly magnificent tracks there. Also GTA 2 OST is worth mentioning here.
“and you know, that was so good, I reckon I’ll play it again!”