Yeah, in San Andreas the music definitely took a step down. I mean.. the the game is huge.. it really is like driving IRL between towns. The RPG aspects definitely rock. But.. it also feels sorta dead. All that space, all those cars.. and it seems I can walk down any given street and see two civilians and 9 gang members. Where's the guys just kickin' it on the porch? The jampacked supermarkets? Cars driving into the gas stations? Eh, just a bit of a nitpick, really.. but its getting to be closer and closer to reality, and thats just awesome IMO.
A couple steps up graphically.. include a dozen more radio stations with a dozen more songs on each.. (seriously, if you're going to use a dual layer disc, why not put 1 gig worth of songs on thar? There's so little FMV.. textures dont eat up all that space.. all the 3d data doesnt make a dent with the low poly buildings!
Granted, the SFX and voice acting might eat a bit 'o space.. but really, GTA was always about the music, too. Music, violence, comedy. A pyramid where 2/3 were lacking in San Andreas. Just wasnt as funny as hearing Ray Liotta kick ass in a golfcart while bumping to Automatic by the Pointer Sisters.
Early gangsta music was awesome, sure.. but they still play it every so often and with all the modern gangsta.. it feels like just yesterday that *I* heard it on the radio. I dunno about you.. but the 80s just felt like another time.
Take that, trickle down economics and James Spader movies! (sans Supernova)