The '70s And '80s Songs In Grand Theft Auto 6 So Far Are Classic Bangers

The extended look at "Grand Theft Auto 6" that released in August 2026 turned up the hype-o-meter to 11, as did the songs featured in the exclusive gameplay footage. As expected, Rockstar Games didn't skimp on the music selection (mind you, has it ever?). A number of certified bangers are already setting the tone for what's to come, and one can only imagine the astronomical licensing costs.

While there's a strong possibility that this ends up becoming one of the video games that's banned in some parts of the world due to its controversial content, the soundtrack appears to be untouchable and on the way to becoming legendary. From Phil Collins to Def Leppard and Cliff Richard, "GTA 6" is locked and loaded with some of the best tunes from the '70s and '80s. Heck, even people who aren't fans of the game might get a kick out of listening to its playlist.

Maybe it's surprising to hear a Phil Collins tune in "Grand Theft Auto 6" — or maybe not since it's used as an elevator track. After all, "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" should be a fitting choice for the game, as Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos try to survive (ahem) against all odds. The song was written for a movie (1984's "Against All Odds," starring Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward), and it turned into a serious Billboard hit for Collins. It also happens to be one of the musician's greatest successes as a solo artist, hitting the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and staying there for three weeks. Only "Another Day in Paradise" bested this feat by just one week.

Collins won his first-ever Grammy Award for the number. It's also become a popular song to cover among other musicians — Mariah Carey and Westlife famously provided their own rendition. Let's be real, though: It would be sacrilege if any other version besides Collins' appeared in "Grand Theft Auto 6."

When it comes to power ballads that cut straight into the soul and have everybody screaming about how much love sucks (but not really), look no further than Def Leppard's "Love Bites," off 1987's "Hysteria." It found its way onto the soundtrack for "Grand Theft Auto 6" too, featuring in the part of the game where Jason waits for Lucia to get ready before they head out. While "Pour Some Sugar on Me" might be the better-known Def Leppard track nowadays, "Love Bites" bared its fangs to become the rock band's biggest hit in the U.S. The song climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 and stayed on the chart for an astonishing 23 weeks.

In a story that could only happen in the music industry and rock 'n' roll, Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen told the "Under Cover" podcast that the group actually had to learn how to play the song after recording it. "We'd never played 'Love Bites' together when we released it," he said. "It was a studio song. We'd done bits and pieces here, this year and next year. We'd done some of this in another studio. Tracked crazy vocals. When we release it, it goes to No. 1 on Billboard and we've never played it."

Cliff Richard's "Devil Woman" is all about someone thinking they're hexed. Rather appropriate for "Grand Theft Auto 6," especially with all the crime and hard times going around in the game. Are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos cursed, or are they to blame for the situations they find themselves in? That's for players to decide.

This 1976 banger is off Richard's album "I'm Nearly Famous." Surprisingly, despite the song's legacy and influence, it never went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That said, it's still Richard's highest-charting track on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 6.

According to Richard, the only reason he was able to taste any kind of success in the U.S. with "Devil Woman" was thanks to Elton John, who signed him to his record label Rocket. "He heard 'I'm Nearly Famous' — somebody played it to him but didn't tell him who it was," Richard told Record Collector. "He heard the first track ['I Can't Ask for Anymore Than You'], which was one of the first times I used falsetto, and said, 'Who's that? Cliff Richard? It can't be.' Then he heard 'Devil Woman' and went, 'Oh my God, this is great stuff, let's see if we can get it for Rocket.'"

What's there not to love about Depeche Mode's "People Are People"? Off the group's stellar 1984 album, "Some Great Reward," the song mixes electronic influences with a catchy hook and Dave Gahan's sultry voice. It's a track that claws its way into the brain, occupies a space, and refuses to ever leave. Since Depeche Mode is one of the most important rock bands of the '80s, it's only right that one of their biggest songs features in "Grand Theft Auto 6."

In 1985, "People Are People" slinked its way into the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 13 and sticking around on the chart for 18 weeks. It also proved to have some lasting power on listeners, who just couldn't get enough (to quote another famous Depeche Mode song), as it sold over 500,000 copies and achieved gold status in the U.S.

Depeche Mode's Martin Gore might not be the biggest fan of the track, but Gahan told Entertainment Weekly that "People Are People" had a major positive impact on their career. "The song really propelled us into a new cosmos at that particular time," he said. "We supported Elton John at a number of big stadium shows. And Rod Stewart, which was bizarre, but the song became a No. 1 hit in a lot of countries in Europe, and it allowed us to then go off and create the music that we wanted to create."