I've read a lot of negative reaction to GTA IV's radio stations. I had some too, but I think most people that gripe about it are missing the point. They compare these radio stations to Vice City and San Andreas, as opposed to real life radio stations. It's much easier to pick tracks for VC and SA because of the historical nature of the setting. GTA IV is modern day. Next Sunday A.D., I believe. Let's analyze:

The #1 station R* got right was the reggaeton station. I can't go one fucking half hour without hearing someone bump reggaeton, and I live in California where theres hardly any Puerto Ricans. I can only imagine how bad it could be in NYC.

The jazz station. Reminds me of NPR. Liberal baby boomers eat this with a spoon. One of the most hilarious moments in GTA IV came from jacking some young man for his nice car. He screamed "I'll fuck you up, motherfucker!" as I hopped into his whip and struck off. This hard-ass dude was bumping the jazz station. I chuckled as I imagined the ped's life: psuedo-intellectual, weed smoker, lives in Alderney, thinks he's hard and cool.

The Beat. No, theres no fucking Jay-Z or 50 Cent. This is the streets. People in NYC don't even like 50 cent. They like shit like Mobb Deep and Ghostface and MOP. Also, whats the name of the station? It's all about the beat. The production on the songs on this radio station is so fucking New York I don't see how anyone can hate on it. Living in California, I don't hear anything like this on the radio, so I really feel like I'm listening to some really real shit.

Talk radio, pure comedy, nuff said.

Radio Broker. Hahahaha, I love this station. Pure hipster shit, commodified. However, I would've expected more of the electro shit to be on this radio station a la LCD Soundsystem et al. Justice and Boys Noize should be on here.

Electrochoc is a fucking misnomer. I was actually really let down by this station. The vast majority of tracks on here are just deep spacey grooves-- not electro. Once again, R* fucks up the techno station with deep grove bullshit. I can't blame them though, techno/dance music is so fucking immediate it's hard to build a station that wouldn't be played out by the time the game already came out. cough Justice cough.

And finally, my #1 radio station, that for some reason I didn't get into at all until I was bored with the other stations-- The Journey. This is by far the best radio station in GTA IV. Steve Roach, AFX, Tangerine Dream, Philip Glass are you fucking kidding me? And it fucking works, it somehow brilliantly matches the pace of the gameplay.

I really dont see how you guys can hate. These are just a few of my favorite stations. Let's face it, The Vibe is the best Slow Jam/R&B radio station in GTA history. Liberty City Rock is also really fucking dope-- Iggy, ELO, Bowie, Elton John, Black Sabbath, etc etc.

If you guys don't like the music thats in this game, I suggest you fucking grow up and stop listening to your middle school schlock and get with the program. Use that ZIT shit. IRL Go to that pandora website or even take a dip into www.hypem.com to see what everyone else cooler than you is listening to.

PS the worst radio station is Fusion FM. I mean really WTF Rockstar you ball licking bitches.