GTA IV
A darker city, a different soundtrack and another evolution of GTA radio.
Grand Theft Auto IV, released in 2008, is set in Liberty City, a fictional city closely modelled on New York. Its radio is more varied than in earlier games, with hip-hop, classic rock, jazz, Latin music, hardcore punk, electronic music and Eastern European pop on the same dial.
Most stations are dynamic: presenters and news programmes refer to the current weather and time of day, and even in a taxi you can ask the driver to change station. Talk stations such as WKTT and Integrity 2.0 add satire of American talk radio.
The radio also grew after release. The expansion The Lost and Damned updated five stations, and The Ballad of Gay Tony updated five more, so the dial kept changing as the game did.
The stations
A selection of the music and talk stations of Liberty City. This overview describes the radio of the original game; the player shows which stations are currently available.
Liberty Rock Radio 97.8
Classic rock hosted by Iggy Pop.
The Beat 102.7
Contemporary hip-hop and R&B, the main hip-hop voice of Liberty City.
Vladivostok FM
Eastern European pop and dance music, reflecting the city’s Russian and Eastern European communities.
Fusion FM
Jazz fusion and jazz-funk, hosted by the vibraphonist Roy Ayers.
Jazz Nation Radio 108.5
Jazz for the quieter end of the dial.
San Juan Sounds
Latin music and reggaeton.
Radio Broker
Alternative, indie and garage rock.
Liberty City Hardcore
Fast, loud hardcore punk and heavier sounds.
Electro-Choc
Electronic and dance music.
K109 The Studio
Disco and dance classics.
WKTT Radio
A spoof of conservative American talk radio.
Integrity 2.0
A talk station hosted by Lazlow.
GTA IV is part of the GTA Radio library. It is a good example of why a station should feel like a broadcast and not like a playlist: the presenters, news and talk programmes are what make Liberty City feel like a real place.
See how the project is built and the technology behind the player.
Where to start
For the classic Liberty City sound, start with Liberty Rock Radio 97.8 and The Beat 102.7. Vladivostok FM and San Juan Sounds show how international the city is, Fusion FM and Jazz Nation Radio suit a slower mood, and WKTT and Integrity 2.0 are the stations to try for satire.
Other eras
Earlier: San Andreas. Later: GTA V. See also the overview of all games.
GTA Radio is an independent fan project and is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive. Station and game names are used for identification and commentary.
A different tone
Liberty City is a modern, heavier take on a New York-style city, and the radio matches it. The music is more varied than in earlier games, and the satire in the talk stations is sharper. The soundtrack reflects a multicultural city instead of a single era: Eastern European pop, Latin music, jazz, punk and electronic stations share the dial.
Radio as a living system
GTA IV treats radio as part of the simulation. Presenters and news segments refer to the time and weather, so the broadcast feels connected to the world. The two expansions, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, added new radio material, so the dial kept changing after release.
Where to start
For a first listen, pick one music station that matches your taste and one talk station. The contrast shows how much of the character comes from the presenter and the writing instead of the songs alone. Continue to GTA V to see the idea at its largest scale.
Station-by-station guide
Genres and hosts below were checked against several independent fan wikis and press coverage. If you spot an error, tell me and I will correct it.
Liberty Rock Radio 97.8
Genre: Classic rock. Host: Iggy Pop. Classic rock with a legendary musician as presenter.
The Beat 102.7
Genre: Hip-hop. Updated in The Lost and Damned.
Fusion FM
Genre: Jazz-funk, jazz fusion and acid jazz. Host: Roy Ayers. Smooth and rhythmic.
Jazz Nation Radio 108.5
Genre: Jazz. Host: Roy Haynes. The quieter end of the dial.
Radio Broker
Genre: Alternative and indie rock. Host: Juliette Lewis. Updated in The Lost and Damned.
Vladivostok FM
Genre: Eastern European pop and dance. Host: Ruslana. Updated in The Ballad of Gay Tony.
Liberty City Hardcore
Genre: Hardcore punk and heavier rock. Updated in The Lost and Damned.
Tuff Gong Radio
Genre: Reggae. The reggae voice of the city.
WKTT Talk Radio
Genre: Talk radio. Satire of American talk radio; expanded in The Lost and Damned.
Integrity 2.0
Genre: Talk radio. Expanded in The Ballad of Gay Tony.