In Grand Theft Auto 2, each area features five radio stations from a pool of eleven, in which one of them would be played as the player drives most vehicles in game. Unlike the previous game (GTA London 1969), in this edition Rockstar returns to use mostly original songs, like in GTA.
Notably, this was the first game in the series where commercials were introduced in radio stations, a feature that would be repeated in subsequent games. Commercials for fictional products, using recognizable tropes and clichés used in real life commercials, are advertised in humorous ways in the game. DJ talk was greatly improved and now more humorous chats by them are introduced, in previous games the radio stations featured little to no commentary by DJs. For the first time, all DJs are named. Also, each gang has its own radio station that transmits within a limited area.
Changing radio stations for preference was possible in the PC version by using the "F1" function key, and in the Playstation version by pressing the "up" directional button.
The radio stations that the player can listen in GTA 2 are as follows:
- Head Radio: Phanny Joe Styles plays Dance and Pop, Johnny Riccaro plays Rock and Funk
- Rockstar Radio: Rock, Funk
- KREZ: Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap
- Lo-Fi FM: Funk, Classic Soul and Classic Rock
- Futuro FM: Funk, Dance and Rock
- Funami FM: Drum and Bass, Techno
- Lithium FM: random array, includes Techno, Classic Soul, Dance, and Christian Pop
- King 130.7: Hard Rock
- Osmosis FM: Dance, Pop
- Heavenly Radio: Christian Pop
- KRadio Stations
- GBH: Classic Rock, Techno.
Miscellaneous tracks
Opening track
This song is played only in the opening video of GTA 2, and is not included in any of the in-game radios.
- DJ Rap & Aston - "Rhythm" (1994)
Menu track
This song is played continuously in the selection menus. It is not played in any radio station in-game.
- E-Z Rollers - "Short Change" (1998)
Credits track
This song is played during the credits. It is heard once during a promo but it is not played completely in any of the radio stations. However, it is used in a jingle at Osmosis FM.
- Scrapyard Mongrels - "I Love This Feeling (Stoned Again)" (P. Scargill, A. Steenkamp)
- GTA 2: The Movie soundtrack
The soundtrack solely originates from the Moving Shadow label, which means it's completely Drum and Bass. The songs are never heard on any radio station (except for "Past Archives").
- Successful Criminals - "Music Madness" (1998)
- Inter Orbit Communication - "Short Wave Café" (1998)
- Dom & Roland - "Thunder" (1998)
- JMJ and Richie - "The Score" (1998)
- Flytronix - "Air Surf" (1998)
- PFM - "Cruising Detroit '98" (1998)
- Flytronix - "Past Archives" (1998)
- E-Z Rollers - "Short Change" (1998)
Removed contentThere was content for the radio stations that was removed from the final version of the game.
- Ridiculous FM - a progressive rock radio with a single song that would have lasted 20 minutes.
- Rev. Rooney & The Rocksta Choir's "God Bless All The Universe" was going to have more profanity.
CommercialsMain article: Commercials in GTA 2Commercials in GTA 2 were a milestone in the Grand Theft Auto series, the game introduced commercials as part of the general upgrade of the game's radios. Using double entendres, tongue-in-cheek remarks, adult humor and marketing techniques used in real life commercials, these commercials for fictional products are heard in-between songs.
Some products advertized are "Flipper Dolphin" (a fishing product used to fish dolphins, encouraging the users to throw away unwanted catches like little tunas), "Super Lead Gasoline" (a rocket fuel that isn't safe for the environment but tastes delicious) and "Credex Gold" (a credit card for when you run in debts while betting, and "the premier choice of lounge lizards and game developers all around the world").
Trivia
- The number of new songs in this soundtrack is 30.
- There are 15 songs repeating from another radio (for example, Davidson's "All I Wanna Do" is heard in 3 different radios), so in total the radio soundtrack presents 45 songs.
- There are only 5 licensed songs.
- GTA 2 was the first game in the GTA series where commercials were introduced in the radio stations, advertizing fictional products or services in humorous ways. This is a feature that would become recurrent in the series.
- Vastly improved DJs talk, previous radio stations featured little to no commentary by DJs.
- For the first time in the game series, all DJs have names.
- Depending on the area where the player is at the moment, some radios are available while others aren't. This kind of feature wouldn't return until GTA V.
- Two fictional bands make a reprise from GTA: Stylus Exodus ("Pootang Shebang", "Toucan Pie") and Stikki Fingerz ("4 Letter Love", "Holdin' It Out For You).
- Each gang in the game owns a radio station.
- Although the player destroys the Futuro FM building during the mission Radio Za-Za!, the station still continues playing afterwards.
- The game uses a generic police radio track used in countless films, series and games ("5 George K, number 30 Broad street" is said in the track). This police track was used too in GTA and GTA III.
- In Osmosis FM, after the "Endurodom" commercial, during DJ Mama Doc's speech it plays Scrapyard Mongrels' "I Love This Feeling (Stoned Again)", the credits theme.
- The radio of GTA Advance is made of instrumental versions of Slumpussy's "This Life" from GTA and the following songs from GTA 2:
- E=MC Good Times - "Jacking In Hilltown"
- Reed - "L.E.D."
- Apostles of Funk - "Yellow Butter"
- Toys Are Real - "Flymutha"
- The One - "Southpark"
- Numb - "How It's Done"
- Voice Box - "Computer Lust"