The first six GTA VI album songs are out now, from Travis Scott to Keith Richards

Atlantic Records and Rockstar Games have officially announced Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, the companion soundtrack album featuring 34 original tracks. It launches on November 19, the same day as GTA VI, and pre-orders are already open.

The first six singles are streaming now:

• Yung Lean - “That’s It” (feat. Future & Metro Boomin)
• Travis Scott - “RHYNO” (produced by Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo)
• CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again.., & Etienne de Crécy - “Sexy Magic”
• Morgan Wallen - “Last Thing You Need”
• Rauw Alejandro - “Macacoa 2000”
• Keith Richards - “Bright Lights, Big City”

The remaining 28 tracks will be revealed at a later date. The announcement confirms the album arrives alongside the next evolution of the game’s in-game radio stations, the dynamic score, and the musical touchpoints that have always defined the series’ atmosphere.

The album is up for pre-order in several vinyl and CD editions: three Atlantic Records exclusives (a limited-edition liquid-filled vinyl, a splatter vinyl, and a CD jewel case, each with its own artwork and packaging) plus retailer-exclusive versions at chains like Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Urban Outfitters, each with a distinct vinyl pressing design and poster.

According to TechRadar, the most striking edition — a limited vinyl of two transparent magenta discs filled with blue liquid ($124.98) — already sold out after the announcement. The CD costs $19.98 and the standard vinyl $49.98, with orders shipping from November 20.

The announcement was also reported by TechRadar.

The physical-format debate and the streams

The announcement of GTA VI: The Album has reignited the debate over Rockstar’s decision not to release the game on disc. As the BBC reports, more than a few fans have pointed out the irony: the album does get a physical vinyl and CD edition on November 19, while the game’s box includes a download code instead of a disc.

The piece also puts numbers to the GTA effect on music. Tom Petty’s “Love Is a Long Road”, the first trailer’s song, multiplied its Spotify streams by 36,979% after the video went up. And the Extended Look tracks saw spectacular spikes: Captain & Tennille’s “But I Think It’s a Dream” went from 70 to 80,744 weekly streams, and Prefab Sprout’s “Cars and Girls” jumped from 49,000 to 187,000.

Not everyone wants in: Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware said he turned down Rockstar’s offer for “Temptation” because he found it too low. Still, history says the opposite for most artists: appearing in a GTA remains one of the biggest music showcases on the planet.

Source: BBC.