Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas turns 22 today, and its radio keeps fans talking.

Rockstar first released the game for PlayStation 2 in North America on October 26, 2004. Since then, its music has earned recognition beyond games.

In 2024, Rolling Stone included San Andreas among its 25 greatest licensed video game soundtracks.

Why GTA San Andreas sounds like a lost radio dial

Initially, the story takes players back to 1992, when Carl “CJ” Johnson returns home after his mother’s murder. However, the soundtrack makes that setting feel real before players finish their first drive.

Across the dial, rap, rock, funk, country, and reggae offer different ways into the same world. Meanwhile, tracks by 2Pac, Rage Against the Machine, and James Brown connect car journeys to familiar voices.

Alongside those songs, famous hosts give the stations personality.

For example, Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose voices K-DST host Tommy “The Nightmare” Smith.…