King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Score First-Ever Hot 100 Spot Thanks to GTA VI

Australian psych-rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have achieved a notable career milestone by entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time. This breakthrough comes with their song "Flower in a Hurricane," which debuted at number 62 during the tracking week of October 16 to 22.

This track is a collaboration featuring prominent artists Justice, Tame Impala, and SZA, and it gained widespread attention after being featured in the launch trailer for the highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto VI. Released on October 15, "Flower in a Hurricane" is part of Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album, a soundtrack comprising 34 songs that will be available alongside the game’s November 19 release.

Billboard data highlights that the song garnered 4.6 million streams in the United States in its initial week, alongside one million radio audience impressions and approximately 1,000 sales. These figures helped propel King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard onto the Hot 100, marking a significant achievement for a band with a considerable discography but limited mainstream chart presence until now.

The band’s entrance into the Hot 100 coincides with a year marked by their continued evolution and experimentation across genres. Known for their eclectic style that spans psychedelic rock, thrash metal, jazz fusion, and electronic music, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have in recent months leaned further into dance and electronic influences. Their August release, Alien Metal, exemplifies this trend.

"Flower in a Hurricane" has also made an impact on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, debuting at number 39. This is notable for the group, considering their long-standing reputation for exploring non-mainstream soundscapes rather than pursuing traditional radio-friendly formats.

The track’s success is part of a broader trend linked to the Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack, which has so far produced three Hot 100 entries. Alongside King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Morgan Wallen’s "Last Thing You Need" and Travis Scott’s "Rhyno" have also charted, underscoring the soundtrack’s influence on contemporary music consumption.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s presence on this high-profile project and their subsequent charting reflect a growing synergy between video game culture and music distribution. It highlights how expansive multimedia platforms can introduce artists to new audiences and catalyze chart success in unexpected ways.

Despite releasing 28 studio albums over more than 15 years, the band’s breakthrough into the Hot 100 signals a new chapter, demonstrating how persistence and adaptability can eventually intersect with mainstream recognition. Their ongoing musical exploration continues to challenge genre boundaries, and the collaboration featured in Grand Theft Auto VI may serve as a springboard for further visibility.

As the soundtrack and game launch on November 19, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are positioned to capitalize on this momentum. While details on future releases remain limited, their current trajectory exemplifies how innovative partnerships and diverse artistic approaches can culminate in significant commercial achievements.

This milestone not only enhances King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s profile but also reinforces the impact of curated soundtracks in shaping the music landscape, offering artists avenues beyond traditional album cycles and radio play to reach broader audiences.