A live performance from the Pointer Sisters, whose ‘Hot Together’ is riding high after appearing in a Grand Theft Auto trailer. Photo Credit: Rick Kramer
Both Spotify and the Pointer Sisters themselves are touting the sync-fueled streaming ascent of “Hot Together” (1986). According to the platform, that refers to an astonishing 182,000% play-volume boost since the second Grand Theft Auto VI trailer dropped earlier this week.
“Grand Theft Auto cuts through popular culture like almost nothing else,” weighed in Spotify global head of editorial Sulinna Ong. “Music has been synonymous with the series since the very beginning, so it’s great to see fans both new and established connecting with an iconic track in this way.”
While the popularity surge is impressive, “iconic” might be a bit of a stretch here. The 182,000% consumption hike stemmed in part from a relatively low initial stream count on the track, which didn’t appear at all on 2017’s 36-song The Essential Pointer Sisters.
As things stand, “Hot Together” has around 1.04 million Spotify streams, well beneath the totals attributable to established Pointer Sisters hits like “I’m So Excited” (623.4 million) and “Slow Hand” (51.6 million).
The GTA 6 trailer’s extensive reach is also worth keeping in mind. On YouTube alone, the official video (meaning the main Rockstar Games upload) is already closing in on 100 million views, compared to 110 million on X and millions more on Instagram.
Existing stream total aside, “Hot Together” evidently aligned with Rockstar’s vision for the trailer and the Vice City-set game itself (the track will be in the soundtrack proper). And unsurprisingly, the commercial momentum isn’t limited to Spotify for the Pointer Sisters, who are attracting new fans on YouTube, Apple Music, and different services yet.
Nor is this momentum confined to streaming, where, as many know, strong listenership doesn’t necessarily translate into material royalties for artists. As plugged on Shazam, the Pointer Sisters, including 79-year-old original member Ruth Pointer, have several concerts lined up for the remainder of 2025.
Time will tell whether continued fan interest in GTA 6 (scheduled to release on May 26th of next year) drives consistent results for the Pointer Sisters among heretofore untapped listener groups.
At least in theory, most of those who caught “Hot Together” in the trailer (and subsequently sought out the song on streaming) are new to the act, which released an eponymous debut album more than half a century ago.
We’ve seen similar sync situations for media without nearly as much marketing firepower as Grand Theft Auto. Fleetwood Mac rode a viral TikTok trend into Gen-Z superstardom, for instance, and a Stranger Things placement helped Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” top 1.3 billion Spotify streams and counting.
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A 182,000% Streaming Boost? Pointer Sisters’ ‘Hot Together’ Takes Off After GTA VI Trailer Appearance – Digital Music News
