When people talk about Ubisoft’s open-world hacking sequel, they usually bring up the vibrant San Francisco setting or the fact that Marcus Holloway is a far more likable protagonist than the moody Aiden Pearce. But honestly? If you strip away the drones and the colorful graffiti, the real soul of the experience is the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack. It’s not just a collection of songs. It is a carefully curated vibe that defines the entire hacker culture of the mid-2010s.
It hits different.
Most games settle for a generic orchestral score or a handful of licensed tracks that feel like they were picked by an algorithm. Not this one. Ubisoft worked with Hudson Mohawke (Ross Birchard) to create an original score that sounds like a glitchy, neon-soaked fever dream. Then they layered in a licensed tracklist that spans everything from obscure Japanese house to early 90s West Coast hip-hop. It's weird. It's eclectic. It's exactly what a group of young, tech-savvy activists in the Bay Area would actually be listening to while they try to take down a corrupt tech giant like Blume.
Hudson Mohawke and the Sound of DedSec
Ross Birchard, better known as Hudson Mohawke, was a massive get for this project. If you aren't familiar with his work, he’s a Scottish producer who basically helped define the "maximalist" electronic sound of the 2010s, working with artists like Kanye West and Drake. For the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack, he didn't just phone it in with some background loops. He composed an entire album titled DedSec, which stands on its own even if you never touch a controller.
The music isn't just "electronic." It’s "wonky." That’s an actual subgenre term, by the way. It’s characterized by unstable rhythms and weird, pitch-shifted synths. Listen to a track like "Play N Go." It starts with this aggressive, pulsing beat that feels like code running through a terminal, but it has this melodic lightness that keeps it from feeling too dark. It captures that specific feeling of DedSec: they are serious about their mission, but they’re also having a blast doing it.
Why the original score works
Unlike the first game’s score, which felt like a standard revenge thriller soundtrack, this one is bright. It’s colorful. It’s chaotic. Birchard used a lot of analog gear to get those crunchy, textured sounds. You can hear the grit in the low end. It mirrors the DIY nature of Marcus’s gadgets—the 3D-printed guns and the RC jumpers. The music feels hand-crafted and slightly broken, which is a perfect metaphor for hacking a system from the inside.
✨ Don't miss: Finding Every Bubbul Gem: Why the Map of Caves TOTK Actually Matters
The Licensed Radio: A Masterclass in Curation
Beyond the original score, the in-game radio stations are where the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack really shows off its personality. You’ve got a massive variety. Most players just stick to the hip-hop station (Urban Bass) or the rock station (Titans of SF), but if you dig into the electronic and pop selections, you find some absolute gems.
Think about the context. Marcus is a young black man in Oakland. The game starts with him joining a collective. The music reflects that specific cultural intersection. You’ve got "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)" by Run The Jewels—a song that is practically a manifesto for anti-establishment rebellion. Then, suddenly, you're driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and "Don't Sweat the Technique" by Eric B. & Rakim comes on. It fits the flow of the game perfectly.
The diverse station lineup
Instead of a boring list, let’s look at how these stations actually affect the gameplay loop.
The Classic Rock/Pop Influence
You’re cruising down the Embarcadero. The sun is setting. Suddenly, "Hold On, I'm Comin'" by Sam & Dave starts playing. It feels cinematic in a way that scripted cutscenes can't match. The game also includes 80s staples like "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" by New Kids on the Block. Is it cheesy? Yeah, a little. But it adds a layer of levity that the first game desperately lacked.
The Deep Cuts in Electronica
The electronic station is where things get really interesting. You’ll find tracks like "The Crystal Ship" by The Doors, but remixed or reimagined in ways that fit the digital aesthetic. Or obscure French house tracks that make a high-speed police chase feel like a scene from Drive. It’s not just the Top 40 hits; it’s the stuff the developers probably had on their own playlists while coding the game.
🔗 Read more: Playing A Link to the Past Switch: Why It Still Hits Different Today
Music as a Gameplay Mechanic
One thing people often overlook is the "SongSneak" app in the game. It’s a literal gameplay mechanic designed to make you interact with the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack. As you walk around the world, you’ll hear music playing in shops, coming out of parked cars, or blasting from a pedestrian's speakers. If you like a song, you pull out your in-game phone, open SongSneak (a clear nod to Shazam), and it adds that track to your permanent library.
This makes the music feel like a collectible. You aren't just handed the soundtrack; you have to go out and "hack" the world to build your playlist. It’s a subtle way of encouraging exploration. You might find yourself lingering outside a coffee shop just to finish "shazaming" a track you've never heard before.
Creating your own vibe
Once you have the tracks, the Media Player app lets you create custom playlists. This was a huge step up from the first game. You can literally listen to your music while walking around on foot, which most open-world games (looking at you, GTA) still restrict to vehicles. It turns the entire city of San Francisco into your personal music video. Marcus has his headphones in; you have your headphones in. It’s immersive.
The Cultural Impact of the Sound
There’s a reason people are still talking about the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack years later. It captured a very specific moment in time. 2016 was the height of a certain kind of "techno-optimism" mixed with growing dread about privacy and data. The music oscillates between those two poles. One minute it’s high-energy and celebratory; the next, Hudson Mohawke’s synths are sounding an alarm.
The soundtrack also did a great job of representing the Bay Area’s musical history. You have the "Hyphy" movement represented with artists like Andre Nickatina and Mac Dre. If you’ve ever spent time in Oakland or SF, you know how vital those sounds are to the local identity. Ubisoft Montreal didn't just throw in generic "rap music." They did their homework. They chose tracks that felt geographically authentic.
💡 You might also like: Plants vs Zombies Xbox One: Why Garden Warfare Still Slaps Years Later
Technical Nuance: The Dynamic Audio System
The game uses a dynamic music system that reacts to your heat level and stealth status. If you’re sneaking through a Nudle (the game’s version of Google) server farm, the music is minimal. It’s just a low, rhythmic throb. But the moment you get spotted and the alarms go off, the Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack kicks into high gear. The layers of the song build—drums kick in, the bass gets heavier—creating a seamless transition from tension to action.
This isn't easy to pull off. It requires the music to be composed in "stems" or layers that can be turned on and off without breaking the tempo. Hudson Mohawke’s tracks were specifically designed for this. You might be listening to a stripped-back version of a song for ten minutes and never realize it’s the same track that blares during the finale until the full beat drops.
Common Misconceptions About the Music
A lot of people think the soundtrack is just "EDM for hackers." That's a lazy take. While electronic music is a core pillar, the variety is actually its greatest strength.
- "It’s just background noise." Far from it. In many missions, the music is synced to the environment. Think about the mission where you steal the "CyberDriver" car. The music is an integral part of the "movie set" vibe they’re going for.
- "The licensed songs are dated." Actually, many of the tracks have aged surprisingly well because they weren't just following 2016 trends. They picked classics and underground hits that have a timeless quality.
- "It’s not as dark as the first game." True, but that’s the point. The first game’s music was about trauma. This soundtrack is about community and resistance.
How to Get the Most Out of the Soundtrack Today
If you’re hopping back into the game or playing it for the first time on a modern console, don't just let the default settings run.
- Invest in SongSneak early. Don't wait. Whenever you enter a new area—like the Silicon Valley campuses or the piers—keep your phone out. You'll miss some of the best tracks if you don't actively look for them.
- Use the "On Foot" player. One of the best ways to experience San Francisco is just walking. Put on the "DedSec" original score and just wander. The way the glitchy beats sync up with the city’s neon lights at night is something every player should experience at least once.
- Check out the standalone album. If you find yourself humming the mission music, go find Hudson Mohawke’s DedSec album on Spotify or Apple Music. It’s a 15-track journey that sounds even better without the sound of gunfire over it.
- Mix your genres. Don't stay on one radio station. The game’s vibe is best experienced when you’re jumping from 90s hip-hop to modern punk to weird experimental electronic music. It mirrors the chaotic energy of the DedSec crew.
The Watch Dogs 2 soundtrack remains a high-water mark for Ubisoft. It’s a rare example of a game where the music doesn’t just support the world—it builds it. It tells you who these characters are, what they value, and what kind of future they’re fighting for. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s still one of the most cohesive audio experiences in gaming.
Next Steps for Music Fans:
To fully appreciate the technical side of the score, look up the "Making of" interviews with Hudson Mohawke. He discusses the specific synthesizers and hardware used to create the "hacker" sound. Additionally, if you're a Spotify user, look for the "Watch Dogs 2 Official Soundtrack" playlist, which combines both the original score and the licensed tracks into a single 10-hour experience. This is the best way to catch the tracks that only play during specific world events or in certain shops that you might have missed during a standard playthrough.