Rockstar Releases GTA IV Patch That Removes Music Due To Expiring Licenses

Rockstar has released a patch for Grand Theft Auto IV that removes numerous music tracks from the game. This happens because the purchased licenses have expired. Rockstar also adds new music, but not everything has been replaced.

Users on Reddit and Gtaforums have created lists of songs pulled from in-game radio stations after the update was implemented. Vladivostok FM’s original music has completely disappeared, but Rockstar has replaced it with new songs.

Other radio stations, such as Liberty Rock Radio, have only removed songs and added no new music. These are well-known songs such as 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins, Fascination by David Bowie and Heaven And Hell by Black Sabbath.

Rockstar is removing the music because the licenses it had on the songs have expired. Grand Theft Auto IV is now about ten years old. PC gamers can hardly avoid the update, if they want to play the game on Steam, the update will be downloaded automatically. Starting Steam in offline mode could provide a solution.

That GTA IV would lose music was already announced in early April by an anonymous source from the game industry and Rockstar confirmed it. The update that was predicted then has now actually been implemented.