Grand Theft Auto 4 update removes a long list of songs

As foretold earlier this month, an update for Grand Theft Auto 4 released this week drastically changed the game’s licensed soundtrack, as licenses for songs expire alongside the game’s 10-year anniversary.

And as expected, one of the game’s radio stations, the Russian and Ukranian music channel Vladivostok FM, was hit hardest. GTA 4’s classic rock radio station, Liberty Rock, was also hit pretty hard; songs like The Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979,” David Bowie’s “Fascination” and ELO’s “Evil Woman” have been pulled from digital versions of the game with this week’s update.

The full list of titles, compiled by members of the GTA Forums and r/Games subreddit, is below.

The removal of expiring licensed songs is not much of a surprise these days, considering that we’ve seen similar updates happen to many other games. But the removal of certain songs will have an effect on the original atmosphere of GTA 4. Russian singer Glukoza’s “Швайне” (aka “Schweine”) was on the chopping block, and her song is one of the first that players hear in the game. When Roman Bellic comes to pick up his cousin Niko at the start of the game, “Schweine” is playing on the radio.

Rockstar has replaced certain Vladivostok FM songs with new tracks, however. Twelve Russian and Ukrainian tunes have been removed from the base version of GTA 4, with new tracks taking their place.

Here’s the full list of songs removed from Grand Theft Auto 4 and its two add-ons, The Lost and Damned (TLAD) and The Ballad of Gay Tony (TBOGT):

Vladivostok FM

• Kino - “Группа крови” [Gruppa Krovi / Blood Type]
• Marakesh - “Ждать” [Zhdat / To Wait]
• Zveri - “Квартира” [Kvartira / The Flat]
• Seryoga - “King Ring”
• Splean - “Линия жизни” [Liniya Zhizni / Lifeline]
• Basta - “Мама” [Mama / Mother]
• Leningrad - “Никого не жалко” [Nikogo ne Zhalko / A Pity for No One]
• Ranetki Girls - “О тебе” [O Tebe / About You]
• Dolphin - “РЭП” [Rap]
• Glukoza - “Швайне” [Schweine / Pigs]
• Ruslana - “Wild Dances” Ukranian FM Version
• Oleg Kvasha - “Зеленоглазое такси” Club Remix [Zelenoglazoe * Taksi / Green Eyed Taxi]
• Sucker DJs - “Salvation” (TBOGT)
• Jonathan Peters feat. Maya Azucena - “Music” (TBOGT)
• David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland - “When Love Takes Over” (TBOGT)

Liberty Rock Radio

• The Smashing Pumpkins - “1979”
• Stevie Nicks - “Edge of Seventeen”
• Electric Light Orchestra - “Evil Woman”
• David Bowie - “Fascination”
• Black Sabbath - “Heaven And Hell”
• AC/DC - “Touch Too Much” (TLAD)
• The Doors - “Five To One” (TLAD)
• Jefferson Starship - “Jane” (TLAD)
• Iron Maiden - “Run To The Hills” (TLAD)

The Journey

• Terry Riley - “A Rainbow in Curved Air”
• Michael Shrieve - “Communique: ‘Approach Spiral’”
• San Juan Sounds
• Angel y Khriz - “Ven Báilalo”
• IF99 - “International Funk”
• Gil Scott-Heron - “Home Is Where the Hatred Is”

Liberty City Hardcore

• Cro-Mags - “It’s the Limit”
• Leeway - “Enforcer”
• Bathory - ”Call from the Grave” (TLAD)

K109 The Studio

• Tamiko Jones - “Can’t Live Without Your Love”
• Rose Royce - “Still In Love” (TBOGT)

The Vibe 98.8

• Mtume - “C.O.D. (I’ll Deliver)”

Radio Broker

• Ralph Myerz - “The Teacher”

The Beat 102.7

• Fat Joe (feat. Lil Wayne) - “Crackhouse”
• Papoose - “Stylin’”

The Classics

• Brand Nubian - “All for One”
• Marley Marl (feat. Craig G) - “Droppin’ Science”

Vice City FM

• Robbie Nevil - “C’est la Vie”
• Mai Tai - “History”
• Womack & Womack - “Teardrops”
• Scritti Politti - “Wood Beez (Pray like Aretha Franklin)”
• John Farnham - “You’re the Voice”

Video Editor

• Boy 8-Bit - “A City Under Siege”
• Crookers (feat. Nic Sarno) - “Boxer”
• SonicC - “Stickin”
• Hook N Sling - “The Best Thing”
• Marly - “You Never Know”