Bob Moses didn’t need to commit car theft, execute a robbery, or even grab a gaming controller to achieve success with Grand Theft Auto VI.
The Canadian electronic music duo simply required an outstanding track and an email from Rockstar Games.
They report that their 2021 collaboration with British artist Elderbrook, titled Inner Light, has accumulated over 50 million additional streams since it was included in an extended game trailer released in late August.
Fans have been anticipating GTA VI for more than a decade, with its official launch set for Thursday. However, Inner Light has already gained significant traction, spreading across social media and reaching audiences well beyond just the electronic music community.
The duo from Vancouver, Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance, who have been active since 2012 and are Grammy nominees, mentioned that their manager contacted them earlier this year with a request from Rockstar to feature their song, though details about its usage were scarce.
“We thought, awesome, GTA is a major title. But then we kind of put it out of our minds,” Howie reminisces.
Months later, their phones buzzed with notifications from friends and acquaintances they hadn’t spoken to in years.
It became clear that Inner Light secured a pivotal position during the trailer’s peak, its ethereal, synth-driven sounds accentuating an emotional monologue about reliving one’s “glory days.”
“It turned into the segment that everyone clipped and re-shared, causing the song to go viral,” Vallance explains.
According to Spotify, the song experienced a 500 percent increase in streams following the trailer’s release, with daily additions to playlists rising over 3,000 percent.
This unanticipated success arrives at a time when artists are increasingly pressured to create viral sensations amid a saturated streaming market.
Jimmy Vallance, left, and Tom Howie of the Vancouver-based electronic music duo Bob Moses. (Hunter Monero/The Canadian Press)
Vallance reflects that this experience reaffirmed a lesson they’ve learned while navigating an industry transformed by TikTok and social media: there isn’t a guaranteed formula for creating a hit.
“You can’t create this in a lab,” he asserts.
“Someone out there enjoyed a song we wrote and included it in the trailer, and that struck a chord with millions.”
The duo mentions they received a comparatively modest licensing fee for the use of their track.
“I can’t recall the exact amount, but it’s not significant enough to remember,” Howie notes.
“The true value is in the reach it offers, rather than the paycheck.”
Toronto music supervisor Heather Gardner emphasizes that this isn’t uncommon.
Gardner, who presides over the Guild of Music Supervisors Canada, explains that being featured in a massive game like GTA can be immensely beneficial, even when the licensing fee isn’t particularly generous.
“It’s such a cultural phenomenon,” she remarks about the franchise.
“While exposure doesn’t pay the bills, in an industry that is currently so musically saturated, everyone is searching for ways to stand out and gain visibility, and a sync placement, beyond the financial aspect, truly provides that.”
Music central to GTA
Music has always been a vital part of the GTA experience, with the series’ fictional radio stations introducing players to a diverse range of genres while navigating city streets, running over pedestrians, and evading law enforcement.
For GTA VI, the score has been crafted by the Grammy-winning French electronic duo Justice, and Rockstar intends to release an album of original tracks on Thursday, featuring artists like SZA, Tame Impala, and Keith Richards.
The musical festivities will extend into the weekend with a GTA-themed concert in Miami featuring Travis Scott and Cardi B.
Gardner notes that video games provide a unique avenue for music discovery since players engage actively rather than passively consuming content.
“You’re an active participant in the media in a manner that no other medium can replicate.”
A still from the new Grand Theft Auto VI video game. (Rockstar Games/The Canadian Press)
Vallance, a long-time admirer of the GTA series, recalls playing the original top-down game from the ’90s on a friend’s computer, later becoming enthralled by the transition to 3D gameplay in Grand Theft Auto III.
However, it was the 1980s-inspired soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City that profoundly influenced him, introducing him to bands like A Flock of Seagulls and igniting his fascination with the synth-pop genre of that time.
Vallance expresses that it is a “huge honor” for his music to now be part of the franchise’s cultural landscape. This placement also provides the duo with a sense of validation after years of navigating the unpredictable nature of a music career.
“Every so often, something occurs that makes you think, ‘Oh, we’re a legitimate band.’
GTA VI is projected to generate between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion in sales within its first week, according to market research firm Newszoo.
Howie believes the game acts as a trendsetter during a time when audiences are increasingly dispersed across multiple entertainment channels.
“There aren’t many things that a large number of people experience together anymore. We used to all tune into the same shows, listen to the same radio stations, and read the same content,” he states.
“GTA remains one of the few experiences that brings many people together; it’s a unifying phenomenon that is rare in today’s world.”
