My Gran Turismo music folder collection has 645 tracks as of today
So picking the best from that isn't going to be easy, but here goes. Also note that despite playing the US version of GT1/2, my introduction to the series was the JP version, so unlike most people I have more affinity to Moon Over The Castle than Chemical Bros. The Cardigans and SURV1VE is the only Western openings that can stand up to MOTC in my opinion. Second caveat, I used music during driving only in GT1/2, after that I turned everything off except menus so I don't really care about the driving music in the later games.
GT1 US
GT1 JP (apart from OG MOTC obviously)
Many people don't know this but From The East's original version was in GT1 as Toyota dealer music 👍
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27R_BAhp2xg
GT2 US (apart from The Cardigans)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypr18UmxOas
For me, the best menu music ever and one I associate most strongly with the spirit and nostalgia of 90s JDM that Gran Turismo so perfectly encapsulates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJdU544NmyU
GT3/4 I didn't personally play, so I feel unqualified to pick anything. Honorably mention to the Orchestral MOTC for GT4 intro and Light Velocity which suits the arcade menus perfectly in both games.
GT5P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdXS44BBwgM
And of course, hearing the remixed MOTC in the ending video was always awesome.
GT5
Honorable mention to Soul On Display (not going to repost as someone has done so) and Just One Second (458 Italia trailer
), but the best for me are these two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MbfBJOhryg
Make sure to wear earphones for this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wud6inCZgQ
Yuki Oike also has 3 great pieces (Globe, Passion, Wind), but I'll save him for the next game
The ending song, Day To Live, always brings a tear to my eye as well. Precursor to We Are One in later games as a "uniting" song for motorsport fans everywhere:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOnwmF9SEIc
GT6
Honorable mention to Looking For You, I know a lot of people think this song is sappy but I like it anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdZurNS50ug
And Yuki Oike came back with 4 great pieces this time (Aquarius, Alony, Red, White Out), I'm only going to post one to save space since this post is getting super long
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0PKXsflZY
GT Sport
Personally it's the weakest in terms of menu music for me. The atmosphere and elegance is still there but not too many songs that "hook" you in. Most are pretty forgettable and NO PD I DON'T LIKE LONDON IN THE RAIN
The only saving grace is RAM's Symphonic Theme, which I'm going to post the original version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwEeTB7B3tQ
Bonus Round
Apart from the mainline games, PD has always been a master at making trailers with music that suits perfectly, here are my favourites throughout the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqgDez6GHAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzHiYZQwDuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AONjznZp22I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7TyXvDHgYI
That's a wrap folks, thank you Kaz for having good taste and here's to many more years of the same auditory enjoyment
EDIT: Didn't know GTP has a limit for embedded videos. It's fine I guess, didn't want to waste Jordan's bandwidth