25 Best Licensed Songs Used In Games

Music in games can be just as powerful as graphics or gameplay, immediately setting the mood and bringing scenes to life. Think of iconic songs that start thrilling missions or familiar tunes that accompany exploration in open-world games – these tracks aren’t just background noise, they become integral to the experience. Here are some great examples of developers using popular music effectively in levels, missions, menus, and in-game radios.

‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ (1999) – “Superman” by Goldfinger

Neversoft designed levels with fast, repeating gameplay in mind, and the song “Superman” quickly became iconic, introducing players to the game’s energetic ska-punk sound. While Activision expanded the soundtrack, “Superman” was frequently used during initial gameplay and free skating, emphasizing the game’s quick, restart-focused style. The song’s fast pace perfectly matched the two-minute run format, encouraging players to try out different combos. Its consistent use in menus and gameplay helped define the series’ unique musical identity.

‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2’ (2000) – “Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine

Neversoft made the game’s soundtrack more prominent, using the song “Guerrilla Radio” to highlight larger skate park areas and the character creation feature. Activision’s licensing meant the song played during various game modes – goals, score challenges, and free skating – and its energetic, choppy rhythm fit well with the game’s transitions between vert and street skating. The song’s volume and length were perfect for the two-minute time limits, ensuring it didn’t drown out the sounds of tricks. Because it played so often, “Guerrilla Radio” became strongly associated with the beginning of the game and the Hangar level.

‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’ (2002) – “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Rockstar North carefully selected the music for the game’s radio stations, and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” was a key part of the 80s music on Wave 103 and Flash FM. The song played automatically while driving, during missions, or just exploring the game world, just like any other radio song. Getting permission to use the song was important for capturing the 1980s Miami vibe the game was aiming for. Its frequent play helped create the unique feeling of driving through the game’s bright, neon-lit city.

‘Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ (2004) – “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

Rockstar North featured this song on Radio X, making it perfect for long drives and traveling across the game’s state. The game’s radio system plays the song at just the right moments, even continuing during cutscenes. Choosing this hard rock music helped create the game’s West Coast vibe and emphasized the main character’s journey. Because the radio continues playing between missions, the song often becomes part of longer gaming experiences.

‘Grand Theft Auto V’ (2013) – “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg

Rockstar North featured Dr. Dre’s “Still D.R.E.” on the West Coast Classics radio station, playing it while players explore the open world, travel between missions, and prepare for heists. The game is designed to keep the song playing smoothly through different situations, like car chases and long drives. Because it’s available in both the story mode and online free roam, many players will hear it over time. The song is also seamlessly woven into the radio station’s DJ segments and the overall feel of the era.

‘Red Dead Redemption’ (2010) – “Far Away” by José González

The song was specifically chosen by the game developers to play when John Marston first enters Mexico, signaling a significant change in the story. It begins immediately after the game loads the new area, creating a seamless audio experience. This isn’t a song played on the in-game radio; it’s a unique, one-time event designed to highlight a key moment in the narrative and control the pacing. The song’s vocals are emphasized in the mix, making them stand out over the sounds of riding a horse.

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018) – “May I? Stand Unshaken” by D’Angelo

Rockstar Studios used this song during a key moment late in the game, playing it automatically as the player returns to a significant location. The music is louder than the surrounding game sounds, making the journey feel more meaningful and connected to the story. You won’t hear it on the radio or anywhere else, preserving its impact for that specific story moment. This musical cue subtly changes the mood without taking control away from the player.

‘Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’ (2015) – “The Man Who Sold the World” by Midge Ure

Kojima Productions uses this song during the opening hospital sequence to establish the game’s setting and central ideas. Players can then find and use 1980s music tracks through an in-game tape system, triggering them during helicopter sequences. This licensing allows for both carefully designed scenes and personalized stealth experiences. The game’s sound design seamlessly blends in-game sounds with the music to ensure players can still clearly hear important cues while remaining stealthy.

‘Death Stranding’ (2019) – “I’ll Keep Coming” by Low Roar

Kojima Productions created moments during exploration where music swells as you reach the top of hills or enter new areas. The game uses waypoints to start full songs, perfectly syncing the music with the scenery and your route. This happens even while you’re freely controlling the character, adding a sense of direction and atmosphere to longer trips. A key part of the music design is consistently using tracks from the band Low Roar.

‘Life Is Strange’ (2015) – “To All of You” by Syd Matters

Dontnod Entertainment chose this song for the initial scenes where players explore the campus, setting a thoughtful mood and hinting at the game’s story unfolding in episodes. The camera angles and slow movement speed are designed to let players clearly hear the lyrics while they look around. The song works best in quiet environments, ensuring important conversations and instructions aren’t drowned out. It’s also used in the game’s menus, reinforcing the episode’s central idea throughout the user interface.

‘Alan Wake’ (2010) – “Coconut” by Harry Nilsson

Remedy Entertainment uses this song within the game world itself – you hear it on radios and during scene changes – to create a break from the more intense moments. This choice of music feels unexpected given the game’s thriller focus, offering a lighthearted contrast between fights. The song’s volume changes realistically depending on how close the player is to a radio, and it plays consistently in towns and safe areas, making those locations feel familiar and recognizable through its sound.

‘Saints Row: The Third’ (2011) – “Power” by Kanye West

In Volition’s game, the opening airplane heist is carefully timed to the beat of a specific song, ‘Power.’ Players will definitely hear the song during this scripted sequence, and it’s also included in the game’s wider radio station playlist. The mission itself is choreographed so that the song’s vocals and instrumental parts align with the action, and after the intro, players can continue to enjoy the track while freely exploring the game world.

‘Saints Row IV’ (2013) – “What Is Love” by Haddaway

The game uses this song during an early driving scene to introduce both the characters and how to control the vehicle. It’s perfectly timed to match the characters’ conversation, essentially turning a simple drive into a mini musical experience. Later, players can hear the song again while freely exploring the game world, just like any other radio station. This demonstrates how the game creatively uses licensed music to enhance the humor and storytelling within its missions.

‘Forza Horizon’ (2012) – “Levels” by Avicii

Playground Games created a festival within the game, and the song “Levels” is a key track on one of the electronic music radio stations you can listen to while driving around. Its tempo matches the speed of the highways, making it perfect for long drives between events. While you can easily change stations, “Levels” is frequently played as part of the standard radio lineup. The song’s inclusion also supports the game’s made-up festival and its unique sound effects.

‘Need for Speed: Most Wanted’ (2005) – “Nine Thou (Superstars Remix)” by Styles of Beyond & The Crystal Method

As a gamer, I really noticed how EA Black Box used this awesome track throughout the whole game. It wasn’t just in the chases, it actually changed speed to match how fast I was going! They looped it perfectly so it played smoothly while I was customizing my cars or climbing the Blacklist. What I also appreciated was that even with the music going, I could still clearly hear the police sirens and radio chatter – they really balanced the audio well. And it was cool knowing that the same remix was used everywhere, no matter where in the world you were playing!

‘Need for Speed: Underground 2’ (2004) – “Riders on the Storm (Snoop Dogg Remix)” by The Doors & Snoop Dogg

EA Black Box added this special remix to the game’s menus and nighttime driving experience. The song’s long introduction smoothly covers loading screens and map changes. During races, the game emphasizes engine sounds, but keeps vocals clear when exploring the open world. Securing the rights to this unique remix helped the game’s soundtrack stand out from other racing games.

‘FIFA 98: Road to World Cup’ (1997) – “Song 2” by Blur

EA Canada used this song in game menus and before matches, playing short clips during lineup screens and loading times. Its energetic, brief format was perfect for these moments, and the volume was carefully balanced so that in-game commentary remained clear. The song became a memorable part of the game series, especially in titles from the late 1990s.

‘Mafia II’ (2010) – “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” by Dean Martin

To fully immerse players in the 1940s and 50s, 2K Czech used period-appropriate music playing through car radios. This music plays during open-world driving and specific missions, and the songs change to match the game’s timeline. The game also realistically simulates sound – music sounds different inside a car compared to being out on the street. By licensing a large collection of songs, the developers could dynamically change the radio stations as the story progressed.

‘Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2021) – “Take On Me” by a-ha

Eidos-Montréal included popular songs from the 1980s in both action-packed combat moments and key story scenes. For example, playing “Take On Me” during a fight can give you a temporary boost, replacing the usual battle music. The game cleverly lowers the volume of sound effects to ensure you can hear the lyrics while still being able to hear important calls from your teammates. They’ve licensed a variety of songs so you won’t hear the same tune every time you fight, keeping things fresh.

‘The Last of Us Part II’ (2020) – “Take On Me” by a-ha

In an optional part of the game, Naughty Dog features the song as a live, in-world performance. The music is created using in-game sounds and character vocals, which means they needed a license for the song’s composition rather than a pre-recorded version. Players can keep exploring the area while the performance plays out. The sound design makes it feel like the guitar is being played in a small room, with the reverb adjusted to match that setting.

‘Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock’ (2007) – “Through the Fire and Flames” by DragonForce

Neversoft obtained the rights to use the song as a reward for advanced players and in a bonus game mode. Because the song is long and fast-paced, creating playable levels required careful design. The song’s individual audio tracks allow for missed notes to be silenced during gameplay. Adding this song expanded the range of difficulty levels available in both casual and competitive play.

‘Rock Band’ (2007) – “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult

Harmonix obtained individual instrument tracks, allowing the game to remove sound if a player misses a note. The game’s note charts include the song’s longer instrumental breaks and emphasize any cowbell parts. Players can adjust settings to sync the music and visuals perfectly, even with different TVs and sound systems. The song is available in both career and quick-play modes, and the difficulty adjusts to suit every player’s skill level.

‘Battlefield: Vietnam’ (2004) – “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Digital Illusions CE added working vehicle radios to the game, playing music from the correct time period in both multiplayer and single-player modes. Players will hear these songs while driving vehicles like helicopters and troop transports, mixed with the sounds of battle. Server administrators can customize the music playlists to fit the map being played. The game features a carefully chosen selection of late-1960s songs that change each time players respawn.

‘Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes’ (2014) – “Here’s to You” by Joan Baez & Ennio Morricone

Kojima Productions uses a specific song during the end credits to reinforce the main ideas of the mission. The song plays uninterrupted, allowing listeners to clearly hear the vocals even after finishing gameplay. This choice connects to collectible cassette tapes within the game, which hint at the historical and cinematic inspirations behind the story. Using the original recording of the song helps create the desired atmosphere during the credits sequence.

‘Forza Horizon 3’ (2016) – “Wasted Love” by Gorgon City feat. Law Holt

Playground Games features this music on the festival-themed radio stations during free roam and when traveling between events. The radio continues playing even between sessions, so everyone on a co-op road trip hears the same music. The volume automatically adjusts to ensure you can still hear important directions and in-game sounds. The music itself fits the Australian festival vibe, featuring a blend of house and pop songs.

Share your favorites and the moments they scored in the comments!

2025-11-18 09:48