From Tom Petty to Justice: The Musical Journey of GTA 6’s Trailers

Watching GTA 6 trailers with my brother on the couch has become a bit of a ritual. We don’t just argue about whether Lucia’s driving or Jason’s shooting will be more thrilling to pull off—we also end up replaying the songs for days. Rockstar has always been brilliant at pairing music with its reveals, and the four official GTA 6 video releases so far trace a clear emotional arc through their soundtrack choices.

The Soundtrack to the Hype: Confirmed Trailer Songs

Here’s what’s been officially released and what played over each video:

• Trailer 1 (December 4, 2023): Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road.” The classic rock anthem set a nostalgic, sun-baked tone for our first look at Vice City and the dual protagonists. It felt like a love letter to Florida’s highways and heartbreaks.
• Trailer 2 (May 6, 2025): “Hot Together” by The Pointer Sisters. This funky, upbeat track shifted the mood toward the neon-soaked nightlife and chaotic energy of Leonida’s criminal underworld. It was all about the party, the danger, and the chemistry between Jason and Lucia.
• Extended Look (August 27, 2026): This near-27-minute gameplay deep-dive didn’t feature a standout licensed song. Instead, it leaned on ambient sound design, in-world audio, and snippets of original score to let the gameplay speak for itself. For me, this reinforced that the moment-to-moment action and dynamic world are the real stars.
• Launch Trailer (October 15, 2026): The original track “Flower in a Hurricane” by Justice featuring Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. This was a genre-bending collaboration written specifically for the game’s score. Rockstar confirmed it was captured in-game on PS5, and it hits with a moody, cinematic intensity that feels tailor-made for the story’s darker turns.

What the Music Tells Us About Vice City’s Vibe

While Rockstar hasn’t spelled out the meaning behind each pick, the progression seems intentional. Trailer 1’s classic rock roots the game in a familiar, almost romanticized version of Vice City. Trailer 2’s funk injects the chaotic, social-media-fueled present. The Launch Trailer’s original collaboration—with artists known for blending electronic, psych-rock, and R&B—hints at a more cinematic, emotionally layered experience than we’ve seen before. I’m personally hoping this means the story will have moments that feel as epic as that track sounds.

It’s worth noting that the official soundtrack album is already up for pre-order on vinyl and CD, and Rockstar has confirmed radio stations like Flash FM will return. So these trailer songs might not just be marketing—they could be a taste of what we’ll hear while cruising through the Keys or escaping a heist.

What We Still Don’t Know

As of today, October 24, 2026, Rockstar hasn’t confirmed whether any of these trailer tracks will appear on in-game radio stations. “Flower in a Hurricane” is part of the score, so it’s likely to feature in key story moments, but the others? They could just be trailer-only picks. We also don’t have a full tracklist for the radio or the soundtrack album—only that it exists and can be pre-saved. And with the game launching November 19, there’s always a chance for one more surprise trailer, though Rockstar called the October one the “Launch Trailer,” so I’m not holding my breath.

For more on what we actually know about GTA 6’s world and characters, check out the main hub. Until launch day, my brother and I will keep debating which trailer song fits the game’s vibe best—right now, I’m leaning toward the chaos of The Pointer Sisters.