Radio X (styled as Radio:X in its logo) is a radio station in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that plays alternative rock and grunge. It is hosted by Sage (voiced by Jodie Shawback).
Description[]
Radio X is full of the 1990s grunge attitude and of the Generation X vibe of the time. Its host, Sage, presents herself as an intellectual, nihilist, revolutionist and pessimistic character.
The station's tracklist represents many of the contemporary modern/alternative rock sounds that were prominent or emerging in the early 1990s. The most represented genre on the station is undoubtedly grunge, with bands like L7, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots all having songs on the station, as well as the grunge energy given off by both the station idents and Sage. Also exhibited on the station are major heavy metal and hard rock acts from the late 1980s and early 1990s, like Guns 'n' Roses, Danzig, and Ozzy Osbourne (unavailable on rerelease versions). The alternative metal scene is also on display, from acts such as Helmet, Living Colour, Alice in Chains, Faith No More, and Rage Against The Machine (not on rerelease versions). Interestingly, this alternative metal group mainly features acts that would serve influential to nu metal later in the 1990s, a genre that has yet to appear on GTA radios. The station also features softer, more dance-oriented songs by acts like Depeche Mode, Primal Scream, and The Stone Roses, representing the sounds of early 1990s UK alternative scenes such as synth-rock, Madchester, and neo-psychedelia. There is also a funk rock undertone to some acts, namely Jane's Addiction, The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, and Faith No More.
Through its idents it boasts that "finally there is an alternative to commercial rock, these guys don't care about money". Sage backs up this statement by claiming "I don't think any of these guys are signed to a major record label", a false statement on both parts as most, if not all of Radio X's artists were on major labels by 1992. It also says that it is "the birth of modern rock and fundamental social upheaval" and that "the end of civilization is here". It attacks the older generation, the baby boomers, and its music, saying "anyone who doesn't think this is the best music recorded in history, should just jump off a bridge and die".
It also humorously pokes fun of the self-centered attitude of its listeners, with idents that say "we are self-important nihilists", "who cares about poverty, we got egos to worry about", "we're the end of the alphabet people, that's got to mean something, but we don't know what", and "the id, the ego and now the X".
It also calls its listeners "apathetic, despondent, trust-fund babies" and tells them pessimistic comments like "nothing that you'll ever do will ever mean anything, we're the only identity you've got" and "feel like you mean something".
The station's host, Sage, is a young woman and proud member of Generation X. She is an escaped mental patient who is very opinionated and constantly speaks her views in-between songs. She gets lost frequently in her random musings, displaying extremely pessimistic and narcissistic views. She constantly wants to have sex and hates the older generations so much that she wants to kill anyone over the age of 30. She isn't very popular, as callers criticize her photography exhibition as "full of weird and stupid photos where they lick coloring books". She constantly says she wants to die and threatens to set herself on fire when all the bridges in San Andreas are open, permitting the player access to all areas in the game. Sage celebrates the riots in the later stages of the game, believing they are part of her "end of the world revolution".
Tracklist[]
| Song: | Preview: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| "Unsung" by Helmet (1991) | ||
| "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode (1989) | ||
| "Midlife Crisis" by Faith No More (1992) | ||
| "Mother" by Danzig (1988) | ||
| "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour (1988) | ||
| "Movin' on Up" by Primal Scream (1991) | ||
| "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses (1987) | ||
| "Pretend We're Dead" by L7 (1992) | ||
| "Hellraiser" by Ozzy Osbourne (1991) | This song is missing from the iOS, Android, PS2 Classics (PS3, PS4 and PS5), Rockstar Games Launcher, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. | |
| "Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden (1991) | ||
| "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine (1992) | This song is missing from the iOS, Android, PS2 Classics (PS3, PS4 and PS5), Rockstar Games Launcher, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. | |
| "Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction (1990) | ||
| "Fools Gold" by The Stone Roses (1989) | ||
| "Them Bones" by Alice in Chains (1992) | ||
| "Plush" by Stone Temple Pilots (1992) |
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
The station plays at the following locations:
- Sub Urban clothing stores
- Ten Green Bottles, Misty's and The Craw Bar
- Tattoo Parlors
- Michelle's Auto Repair (Unused interior)
Individual Tracks[]
- Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" was featured in the second trailer of GTA San Andreas.
- Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" is featured during Stadium Events.
- The fragment of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" plays if CJ takes a girlfriend on a bad restaurant date. This song was removed from the re-released versions of the game due to license expiration and the "successful date" jingle plays instead, which comes as confusing and ironic given the context.
- L7's "Pretend We're Dead" plays at the beach party during Life's a Beach.
Trivia[]
- The "X" in Radio X is a reference to Generation X, the generation born between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s.
- The 2-CD San Andreas soundtrack compilation set features as a bonus track, "Head Like a Hole" by A.F.I., a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song. Neither version appears in the game.
- The only song Sage will never make an intro or outro comment over is Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush". [1]
See Also[]
- Head Radio - a pop and rock radio in GTA, GTA 2, GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories.
- It's Unleashed FM - a hard rock and alternative rock radio in GTA.
- King 130.7 - a punk rock and hard rock radio in GTA 2.
- V-Rock - a hard rock and heavy metal radio in GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories that plays another song by Ozzy Osbourne.
- Wave 103 - a new wave and post-punk radio in GTA Vice City and GTA Vice City Stories that plays another song by Depeche Mode.
- K-DST - a classic rock radio in GTA San Andreas.
- Liberty Rock Radio - a classic rock and alternative rock radio in GTA IV and GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
- Liberty City Hardcore - a hardcore punk radio in GTA IV and extreme metal in GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
- Radio Broker - a contemporary rock radio in GTA IV and GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
- Prairie Cartel - an alternative and electronic rock instrumental radio in GTA Chinatown Wars.
- Tortoise - a post-rock instrumental radio in enhanced versions of GTA Chinatown Wars.
- Anvil - a heavy metal instrumental radio in the enhanced versions of GTA Chinatown Wars.
- DFA - a dance-punk instrumental radio in enhanced versions of GTA Chinatown Wars.
- Pre-Millennium Radio - an alternative rock and grunge radio in GTA V that was cut from the final version of the game that would've played another song by Faith No More.
- Santos Surf - a surf music radio in GTA V that was cut from the final version of the game.
- Vinewood Boulevard Radio - an alternative rock radio in GTA V.
- Radio Mirror Park - an indie music radio in GTA V that shares a lot of similarities with Radio X.
- Los Santos Rock Radio - a classic rock and pop rock radio in GTA V.
- Channel X - a punk rock and hardcore punk radio in GTA V.
- Kult FM - a post-punk, indie rock, and mixed genre radio in the enhanced versions of GTA Online that plays another song by Danzig.
References[]
- ↑ Game audio files:
Plush (Intro) Plush (Mid) Plush (Outro).All other songs have three intro and outro files with two of each containing spoken over variations:(Intro DJ #1), (Intro DJ#2) (Intro), (Outro DJ#1), (Outro DJ#2) and (Outro).