The music featured in Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look is already making a major impact on Spotify. Since Rockstar Games released the 27-minute preview on August 27, 15 featured tracks spanning hip-hop, pop, rock, new wave, Latin music and electronic have seen significant increases in streams, playlist additions and Gen Z discovery.
The biggest global surge belongs to Captain & Tennille’s “But I Think It’s a Dream,” an ‘80s deep cut that experienced a staggering 130,730% increase in global streams following the trailer’s release. Playlist additions climbed even further, rising 885,400% as a new generation of listeners discovered the song through GTA VI.
Electronic duo Elderbrook and Bob Moses also benefited from the exposure. Their atmospheric collaboration “Inner Light,” which soundtracks the cinematic closing moments of the Extended Look, recorded a 1,070% increase in global streams and a 4,155% jump in playlist additions.
Prefab Sprout’s “Cars and Girls” followed with a 360% increase in global streams and a 1,440% rise in playlist additions. Depeche Mode’s “People Are People” saw streams climb 190%, while playlist additions increased 700%.
The effect was not limited to older catalog tracks. Birdman and Lil Wayne’s 2007 collaboration “Pop Bottles” posted a 115% increase in global streams over the weekend, alongside a 450% increase in playlist additions.
The GTA VI soundtrack is also introducing several of these tracks to younger audiences. According to Spotify, Prefab Sprout recorded a 530% increase in Gen Z discoveries, while Dominican dembow artist Chimbala saw a 360% rise. British rock veteran Cliff Richard experienced a 325% increase in Gen Z discoveries.
Gen Z representation among listeners also grew for individual songs. Captain & Tennille’s “But I Think It’s a Dream” saw the percentage of Gen Z listeners increase by 20%, followed by Cliff Richard’s “Devil Woman” at 17% and “Se Me Nota” by Chimbala and Omega at 16%.
The streaming reaction arrives as Rockstar continues to use music as a defining part of GTA’s identity. The Extended Look, released August 27, is the first official extended presentation of GTA VI gameplay, following Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval through Rockstar’s fictional Florida-inspired state of Leonida.
Its 15-song selection moves freely between eras and genres, from “Pop Bottles,” Sexyy Red and Tay Keith’s “Pound Town,” and Kodak Black’s “Skrilla” to Def Leppard, Phil Collins, The Bellamy Brothers, Aluna and Jayda G.
For fans who want to explore the music beyond the trailer, Spotify has added every song featured in the Extended Look to the Grand Theft Auto Radio Playlist. The smart playlist draws from stations across the Grand Theft Auto series and adapts to individual listening preferences, potentially giving the featured songs an even longer life ahead of GTA VI’s November 19 release.
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