Rockstar Games makes each GTA reveal trailer an event, a cultural touchstone that will be discussed for years. That’s because the GTA 6 developer sets the mood with the right choice of music. The GTA 6 trailer song is available right now, as Rockstar Games is going with a certified classic as the first GTA 6 trailer debuts.
What is the GTA 6 trailer song?
The GTA 6 trailer song is Love Is A Long Road by Tom Petty. The song first appears on the album, Full Moon Fever, Petty’s 1989 debut solo album.
Plenty of rumors have flown around before Rockstar Games went with Tom Petty, so here are the predictions we put together ahead of the brand-new GTA 6 trailer.
5. That’s All – Genesis
According to a rumor that first gained traction on the GTA subreddit, That’s All by Genesis was reportedly set to be the song accompanying our first look at potentially one of the best open-world games to exist. Using Genesis would certainly be a great pick, as drummer and singer Phil Collins has appeared in the franchise before in GTA Vice City Stories.
Collins is the first-ever celebrity to appear physically in a Grand Theft Auto game and is seen across a total of 3 missions. Not only this, but GTA 6 leaks reveal that the game will take place in a new version of Vice City, so an 80s banger wouldn’t go amiss in the debut trailer.
4. Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears for Fears
Featured on Tears for Fears’ excellent 1985 album, Songs from the Big Chair, the third track has become the stuff of 80s legend over the years. Roland Orzabal’s silky smooth guitar is instantly recognizable, right before Curt Smith’s distinct voice brings another layer of life to the track.
The Loadout’s Callum Self thinks this will be in the GTA 6 trailer, and says that “it’s such an obvious bop, and the idea of ruling the world as a crime lord makes sense within the context of the world. It also has pure 80s vibes and is always a perfect trailer song, but it would likely be a remixed version so it matches the action.”
3. Little Green Bag – George Baker Selection
Movie buffs will know this catchy track from the opening moments of Reservoir Dogs, but Rockstar Games could give Quentin Tarantino a run for his money by including it in the GTA 6 trailer. Our own Aaron Down expresses that “Little Green Bag is the quintessential hippy-dippy ‘the world is on fire but I’m just vibing’ track. While many will know it as the iconic opener from Reservoir Dogs, let’s face it, modern audiences probably only know Tarantino as ‘that guy with the thing for feet’ – no judgment here.”
Furthermore, Aaron believes that “this catchy banger could find a new lease of life layered over the GTA 6 protagonist taking a stroll around the block, unbothered by the heinous crimes being committed around them.”
2. Atomic – Blondie
Why not throw things back to the franchise’s past in a literal sense? Aside from Phil Collins’ interesting relationship with the locale of Vice City, many fans of one of the best game series out there will know that Atomic was a certified bop in the 2002 PS2 hit. The Loadout’s Jamie Hore agrees and thinks Rockstar Games will lean into honoring the past in the GTA 6 trailer.
“While it absolutely doesn’t need to play the nostalgia card, I’ve got a feeling that Rockstar might. With GTA 6 allegedly set to take place in Vice City, I reckon a banger from the original GTA Vice City soundtrack will be the musical accompaniment to the reveal trailer. Blondie’s Atomic – one of the many excellent tunes found on the Wave 103 radio station in Vice City – feels like a perfect candidate. This is a versatile track that flows from that memorable guitar riff and baseline, to soaring synths and vocals, and back again.”
1. Let’s Dance – David Bowie
For my pick, I did originally pivot toward Midnight City by M83, which previously appeared in GTA 5 on the Non-Stop Pop radio station. Instead, I believe that Let’s Dance from the titular 1983 David Bowie album could be the song featured in the GTA 6 trailer. Like Blondie and Phil Collins, David Bowie’s music has been featured in the franchise before, as Somebody Up There Likes Me can be heard on K-DST in GTA San Andreas. Oddly enough, none of the late Bowie’s superb 80s output can be heard in Vice City or Vice City Stories.
Produced with Chic legend Nile Rodgers, and featuring the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan, Let’s Dance is just as musically potent as it was upon release. The production is immaculate, with euphoric use of reverbs and delay, spacing out Rodgers’ stuttering guitar strikes around Bowie’s crooning vocals. Vaughan lends his virtuosity to the track, splashing on his infectious guitar hooks too. Its pacing and tone are perfect to reintroduce Vice City, channeling both 80s nostalgia and the timeliness of the song itself.
While we’re a bit gutted our picks didn’t make the cut, we’re happy to see the late Petty’s legacy introduced to a new generation. GTA 6 is one of many new PS5 games and new Xbox games on the horizon, and finally, we can feast our eyes upon it.