The music of Red Dead Redemption 2: composer Woody Jackson, song producer Daniel Lanois, two official albums from 2019 and the full tracklist of The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 with D'Angelo, Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens and Josh Homme.
Who wrote the RDR2 music
The RDR2 soundtrack has two parts. The instrumental music you hear in missions and while roaming was written by Woody Jackson. Before Red Dead Redemption 2 he had already worked with Rockstar on the first Red Dead Redemption and on GTA 5. The in-game music does not just loop: it is split into separate stems and adapts to what is happening on screen — a chase, a shootout or a quiet ride.
The vocal songs are a separate story. They were produced by Canadian musician Daniel Lanois, who also brought in the performers: D'Angelo, Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens, Josh Homme and Rocco DeLuca. The songs play rarely and at key story moments, so players often look them up after finishing the game.
The official albums
Rockstar did not release the music alongside the game in October 2018 but as separate albums in summer 2019. Both were released by Lakeshore Records together with Rockstar Games.
| Album | What's on it | Release | Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack) | vocal songs, produced by Daniel Lanois | July 12, 2019, digital release | 13 |
| The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Score) | Woody Jackson's instrumental score | August 9, 2019, digital release | 22 |
The song "Unshaken" came out as a standalone single before the album.
The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Soundtrack) tracklist
Track and artist names are as on the release. The tracklist was checked against Shacknews' report on the album's release day and against Wikipedia.
| # | Track | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unshaken | D'Angelo |
| 2 | Moonlight | Daniel Lanois, Daryl Johnson, Joseph Maize, Darryl Hatcher, Rhiannon Giddens |
| 3 | That's the Way It Is | Daniel Lanois |
| 4 | Mountain Finale | Daniel Lanois |
| 5 | Crash of Worlds | Rocco DeLuca |
| 6 | Cruel World | Willie Nelson |
| 7 | Red | Daniel Lanois |
| 8 | Mountain Hymn | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 9 | Mountain Banjo | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 10 | Table Top | Daniel Lanois |
| 11 | Love Come Back | Daniel Lanois |
| 12 | Oh My Lovely | Daniel Lanois |
| 13 | Cruel World | Josh Homme |
"Cruel World" comes in two versions: both Willie Nelson and Josh Homme recorded it, so it is on the album twice — as track six and as the closing track. Rhiannon Giddens sings on three tracks, and Daniel Lanois himself performs six tracks and features on "Moonlight".
Woody Jackson's instrumental album
The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 (Original Score) has 22 instrumental tracks. It opens with "By 1899, the Age of Outlaws and Gunslingers Was At And End", and other tracks include "Outlaws From the West", "Fleeting Joy", "Country Pursuits", "Blessed Are the Peacemakers", "Revenge Is a Dish Best Eaten", "An American Pastoral Scene", "American Venom" and "American Reprise".
Many titles match story mission names. To play them in order, see RDR2 missions. The characters this music follows are on the RDR2 characters page.
Where to listen to the soundtrack legally
Both albums are on digital music services: the song album became available to stream on release day, July 12, 2019. Search for the exact title "The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2" so you don't end up with fan compilations or unofficial game rips. The game itself, prices and editions are on the RDR2 price page, and everything about the game is on the RDR2 main page.
RDR2 soundtrack FAQ
Who composed the Red Dead Redemption 2 music?
Woody Jackson wrote the instrumental score. Daniel Lanois produced the vocal songs.
What song plays at the end of RDR2?
After the ending, players most often look up "Unshaken" (D'Angelo) and "That's the Way It Is" (Daniel Lanois): both are on The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2. We don't describe the specific scenes to avoid spoilers.
Who sings "Cruel World" in RDR2?
There are two versions: Willie Nelson and Josh Homme. Both made the song album.
When was the RDR2 soundtrack released?
The song album on July 12, 2019, and Woody Jackson's instrumental album on August 9, 2019.
Who sings "Mountain Hymn"?
Rhiannon Giddens. She also performs "Mountain Banjo" and features on "Moonlight".
Sources
- Official: Rockstar Games, Rockstar Newswire, Rockstar Support, Take-Two Interactive
- Databases and guides: Red Dead Wiki, RDR2.org, GTABase, PowerPyx
- Press: GamesRadar, PC Gamer, IGN, VGC, Game Informer
Every fact is checked against official sources or at least two independent ones; player-sourced data is labelled in the text. Images are official Rockstar Games material. GTA Top is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.