A recurring GTA VI rumor claims that Heaven 17’s 1983 track Temptation was set to appear on the game’s soundtrack. The source is more substantial than the usual anonymous social-media post: Heaven 17 co-founder Martyn Ware said in September 2024 that his publishers had been approached about licensing the song for the next Grand Theft Auto game, which he identified as GTA VI.
Ware also said the band rejected the proposed deal. Rockstar Games has not publicly confirmed the approach, commented on the terms, or announced a GTA VI soundtrack. So the responsible reading is fairly narrow: a musician directly involved with the rights says Rockstar explored licensing one song, but that does not mean the track is in GTA VI, that the game’s stations have leaked, or that a wider playlist is known.
This is a higher-confidence, still unconfirmed report. Here is why it has attracted attention—and where the evidence stops.
The original claim came from Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware
Ware published his account on his public social-media profile in September 2024. He wrote that the band’s publishers had contacted them about a request from Rockstar Games to use Temptation in the new Grand Theft Auto. He then criticized what he described as a proposed one-time payment of $7,500 in exchange for a perpetual buyout of future royalties.
Importantly, this was not a claim from a supposed insider repeating a screenshot. Ware is a songwriter and member of the act whose song was allegedly requested. That puts him in a plausible position to know about a licensing inquiry involving his own catalogue. Readers can find the original public statements through Martyn Ware’s verified public profile.
However, the public post is still one party’s account of a private business discussion. We have not seen a contract, a request letter, or a statement from Rockstar independently validating the details. That is why the claim should not be reported as an official GTA VI soundtrack reveal.
What Rockstar has—and has not—said about GTA VI music
Rockstar’s official GTA VI page has confirmed the game’s setting in Leonida, protagonists Jason and Lucia, and its planned console release information. It does not list a soundtrack, radio-station roster, music licensing partners, or individual artists.
That silence is normal. Rockstar has historically used radio stations as part of Grand Theft Auto’s identity, but a franchise tradition is not confirmation of a specific GTA VI feature, artist, song, or format. The official trailers also feature carefully selected trailer music; they are not a published in-game radio track list.
Ware’s allegation is therefore interesting because it suggests that music licensing work may have been underway at that point. It does not establish when that work began, whether it continued, which in-game station might have used the song, or how much of GTA VI’s audio catalogue was settled.
Why a rejected request is not a soundtrack leak
The key detail is easy to miss: Ware said Heaven 17 turned the offer down. If his account is accurate, Temptation was considered, not secured. A licensing conversation can end in several ways: an artist may reject the terms, both parties may renegotiate, a publisher may have separate approval rights, or the requester may simply choose another song.
None of those possibilities can be resolved from the public post. And because music licenses can involve artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, territories, game platforms, streaming, and promotional use, an initial outreach is not the same thing as a final clearance. The exact rights and commercial arrangements are not public here.
That makes several common follow-on claims unsupported:
- There is no confirmed “80s station” for GTA VI.
- There is no confirmed list of songs Rockstar pursued or licensed.
- There is no evidence that all artists received similar proposed terms.
- There is no basis to infer GTA VI’s final music budget from one alleged offer.
- There is no reason to treat fan-made Spotify playlists as leaked radio stations.
That last point is particularly relevant as GTA VI-related playlists and video thumbnails become easier to share than to verify. A familiar track paired with Leonida artwork can look convincing, but it is not evidence of an in-game license.
Rumor credibility: higher confidence, still unconfirmed
Classification: Higher confidence, still unconfirmed.
The core reason for the higher rating is source proximity. Ware was not reporting somebody else’s alleged GTA VI leak; he was discussing an approach concerning his own band’s work. His statement was public, specific, and consistent with the ordinary process of seeking music rights before a game’s release.
There are still meaningful limits. Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive have not verified the approach. No primary documentation from Rockstar has been published, and the claimed deal terms cannot be independently assessed from public information. Most importantly, the song was reportedly rejected. Even complete confirmation of the outreach would not add Temptation to GTA VI’s eventual soundtrack.
In short, this is credible reporting about a possible licensing attempt—not credible evidence of a GTA VI radio leak.
Why this matters to GTA players and creators
For players, the story is a useful reminder of how much work sits behind the radio dial. A Grand Theft Auto soundtrack is not assembled by throwing a handful of popular tracks into a playlist. The process likely involves negotiations, approvals, rights management, and contingency plans long before the final game reaches players. That is exactly why one artist’s account should not be inflated into a complete soundtrack story.
For modders, FiveM server owners, and video creators, it is also a practical cue to be careful with music claims. Custom stations, vehicle audio packs, club interiors, and cinematic trailers can all be more memorable with recognizable tracks, but recognizable is not the same as cleared. A mod page should say clearly whether it contains original music, properly licensed audio, or no music files at all.
Server owners should also remember that a song appearing in a commercial game, if it eventually does, would not automatically make it appropriate to redistribute in a resource, broadcast through a server, or use in monetized video content. Platform rules and music rights can differ by use case. When in doubt, original tracks and creator-provided permissions are the less messy route.
What to watch for next
The reliable signals will be simple: Rockstar publishing a station list, artists publicly confirming finalized participation, or official GTA VI promotional material explicitly identifying in-game music. Until then, treat claimed playlists with skepticism—especially posts that offer no source beyond “a friend in the industry,” cropped direct messages, or audio supposedly extracted from an unreleased build.
There is plenty to discuss without pretending the radio dial has already leaked. If you want to compare reliable GTA VI reporting, share a source check, or talk shop with other creators, join the conversation in the SixMods Community Forums. You can also explore the available mod downloads and create a free account to take part in the community.
Editor’s note: This article discusses unconfirmed reports, rumors, or alleged leaks. The information may be incomplete, inaccurate, or subject to change. Unless expressly identified as an official announcement, it has not been confirmed by Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.
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