Music matters. In the world of Rockstar Games, it’s practically everything. When that first teaser dropped over a decade ago, people weren't just looking at the graphics of a fictionalized Los Angeles; they were listening to the song in the GTA 5 trailer that would eventually define an entire generation of open-world gaming.
It was "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" by the Small Faces.
Most people didn't know the track. It was a psychedelic rock instrumental from 1968, hidden away on a concept album with a circular cover. Yet, the moment those swirling Hammond organ chords hit against the backdrop of a hiker looking over Vinewood, something clicked. It felt expensive. It felt cinematic. It felt like Grand Theft Auto was growing up.
The Small Faces and the Magic of the First Reveal
Rockstar has a weirdly specific talent for digging up forgotten gems. Before 2011, if you asked a random gamer about the Small Faces, you’d probably get a blank stare. After the trailer? The song became synonymous with Michael De Santa’s mid-life crisis.
The track itself is a masterpiece of 60s production. It has this driving, almost regal energy that fits the "American Dream" theme Rockstar was chasing. It’s a bit chaotic but grounded by a heavy drum beat. When you watch that trailer now, you see the juxtaposition of extreme wealth and crushing poverty in Los Santos. The music bridges that gap perfectly.
Honestly, it's impressive how much work a single song can do. It established a tone that was less "gritty underworld" (like GTA 4) and more "sun-drenched satire." It told us exactly what kind of ride we were in for.
Skeletons and the Second Coming
Then came the second trailer. This is where things got heavy.
Rockstar pivoted from psychedelic 60s rock to the bluesy, soulful grit of Stevie Wonder. "Skeletons" was the choice. If you’re looking for the song in the GTA 5 trailer that actually explained the plot, this is it. The lyrics aren't just background noise; they are a direct commentary on the three protagonists.
"Skeletons in your closet. It's written on your face."
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Think about Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. They are all running from something. Michael is a witness protection fraud living a lie. Trevor is a walking trauma response. Franklin is trying to escape a cycle that keeps pulling him back in. Using a 1982 synth-funk track to highlight the rot beneath the palm trees was a stroke of genius. It gave the game a soul.
The rhythm of "Skeletons" also allowed for much tighter editing. You see the cuts—the car crashes, the planes, the explosions—all hitting on the beat. It wasn't just a trailer; it was a music video for a crime epic.
Radio Ga Ga and the Power of Nostalgia
We can't talk about GTA 5 music without mentioning Queen. The character trailer for Michael featured "Radio Ga Ga," and it basically cemented his identity as a man stuck in the 80s.
He’s a guy who wants his life to be a movie. He sits by his pool, drinks whiskey, and listens to classic rock while his family falls apart. The song in the GTA 5 trailer for Michael didn't just provide a vibe; it provided characterization that saved the writers hours of dialogue.
Why these choices worked so well:
- They weren't "current" hits. Using timeless music prevents the trailer from feeling dated six months later.
- The licensing costs must have been astronomical, which signaled to the industry that this was the biggest entertainment project on earth.
- The songs have a specific "Los Angeles" feel—wide, airy, and slightly artificial.
The Sleepy Jackson and the "Old" Los Santos
There was another one. "Good Fortune" by The Sleepy Jackson.
This one popped up in the later promotional cycles. It’s got this indie-rock, slightly melancholic twang. It captured the feeling of driving down the Great Ocean Highway at sunset. It’s that specific "GTA feeling" where you aren't doing a mission; you’re just existing in the world.
That’s the secret sauce. Rockstar doesn't just pick songs that sound cool. They pick songs that evoke a very specific geographical and emotional location. When you hear that song in the GTA 5 trailer, you don't just think of a game. You think of a place you’ve spent hundreds of hours in.
The Impact on the Artists
It’s worth noting what happens to these artists after a trailer drops. Shazaam numbers for "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" spiked into the stratosphere.
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For a band like the Small Faces, who had their heyday decades ago, being featured in a Rockstar trailer is like winning the lottery. It introduces their catalog to millions of teenagers who weren't even alive when the band broke up. It’s a cultural preservation act disguised as marketing.
The same happened with Stevie Wonder's "Skeletons." While Stevie is obviously a legend, that specific track wasn't exactly his most played on Spotify until the GTA association gave it a second life. Now, it’s a staple of "Vibe" playlists everywhere.
Beyond the Trailers: The In-Game Legacy
The music from the trailers eventually found its way onto the in-game radio stations, which is a nice touch. "Skeletons" landed on Space 103.2. "Radio Ga Ga" hit Los Santos Rock Radio.
But the trailers did something more. They set a bar for the industry. Now, every time a big AAA game is announced, the first thing people look for is the music. Think about the GTA 6 trailer and "Love Is A Long Road" by Tom Petty. The internet spent weeks analyzing why that song was chosen.
That trend started in earnest with GTA 5.
Understanding the Selection Process
How does a team choose the perfect song in the GTA 5 trailer? It’s usually a collaborative effort between the Houser brothers (back when Dan was still there) and the music supervision team, which includes people like Ivan Pavlovich.
They don't just look for hits. They look for "vibe." They look for songs that have a narrative arc. A good trailer song needs a slow build, a peak for the action, and a lingering outro. "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" has that weird, psychedelic breakdown that allowed the trailer to transition from "scenery" to "chaos" seamlessly.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think the music is just "cool background noise." It isn't. In the case of GTA 5, the music was the mission statement.
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If they had used a heavy metal track, the game would have felt like a mindless shooter. If they had used modern EDM, it would have felt like a racing game. By using classic rock, soul, and psych-pop, they told the audience: "This is a prestige drama. This is The Sopranos meets Heat."
It gave the game a sense of history.
The Evolution of the Rockstar Sound
The song in the GTA 5 trailer actually signaled a shift away from the licensed-only approach of San Andreas and Vice City. While those games relied on "The Best of the 80s/90s," GTA 5 used music to curate a specific, curated mood that felt more like a film score.
Interestingly, GTA 5 was also the first in the series to have an original score that plays during missions. This score, composed by Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, and Oh No / The Alchemist, was designed to blend into the licensed tracks.
When you’re playing, and you jump out of a plane, the music shifts from the radio to the score without a hitch. That level of audio engineering is why people are still playing this game thirteen years later.
Actionable Steps for Discovering More
If you’re obsessed with the music from these trailers, don't just stop at the hits. There is a whole world of "Trailer Core" music to explore.
- Check out the full album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces. It’s a wild trip through 60s British mod culture and actually tells a story about a character named Happiness Stan.
- Look up the "Music of Grand Theft Auto V" playlists on Spotify or Apple Music. Rockstar officially curated these, and they include the "score" versions which are great for working or driving.
- Watch the trailers again, but mute them and play different songs. You’ll quickly realize how much the original music choices were doing the heavy lifting for the "feel" of the game.
- If you're a musician or content creator, study the "Skeletons" trailer. Watch how the editors use the snare hits to time the visual cuts. It’s a masterclass in sync-licensing.
The legacy of the song in the GTA 5 trailer isn't just about nostalgia. It's about how a perfectly chosen piece of art can elevate a product into a cultural phenomenon. Rockstar didn't just sell us a game; they sold us a soundtrack to our own digital lives.
Next time you're cruising through the Los Santos hills and "Radio Ga Ga" comes on, remember that first teaser. Remember the hiker, the dog on the beach, and that specific feeling of "something big is coming." That’s the power of the right song at the right time.