If you’ve been trying to jam out to the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack on Spotify this past week, you probably noticed something was very wrong. The entire original soundtrack vanished from major streaming platforms around November 8, 2025, sending fans into a panic. But as of November 15, the music is finally back, and we now know exactly why it disappeared in the first place.
What Happened to the Soundtrack
Around November 8, 2025, Reddit users started noticing that the Hi-Fi Rush original soundtrack had been completely scrubbed from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. If you had songs saved to your playlists, they suddenly showed up as unavailable or removed. The timing couldn’t have been worse for a fanbase that was already on edge.
Remember, Tango Gameworks was shut down by Microsoft back in May 2024, which initially seemed like the death sentence for Hi-Fi Rush. The game features tons of licensed music from artists like Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys, and The Prodigy, so fans immediately worried this was the first sign that licensing agreements were falling apart and the game would eventually be delisted entirely.
The Director Told Everyone to Chill
On November 11, 2025, Hi-Fi Rush director John Johanas stepped in to calm everyone down. He tweeted that the delisting was likely related to the publisher transition and that the soundtrack would be back on streaming services soon, though he wasn’t sure exactly when. That simple message did a lot to ease panic, even if it didn’t immediately solve the problem.
Johanas was right to tell people not to worry. This wasn’t about expired licenses or rights issues with the music itself. It was just administrative chaos from changing publishers, which happens more often than you’d think when games change hands.
The Krafton Takeover Explained
Here’s the context that makes everything make sense. On November 14, 2025, Krafton officially took over publishing rights for Hi-Fi Rush from Microsoft and Bethesda. This was the final step in Krafton’s acquisition of Tango Gameworks, which was announced back in August 2024.
When Krafton bought Tango Gameworks from Microsoft, they got the full rights to the Hi-Fi Rush IP and the entire development team. However, the publishing rights for the original game remained with Microsoft until the transition was finalized. That handoff process is what caused the soundtrack to temporarily disappear from streaming platforms.
The transition means all the metadata, ownership information, and contracts associated with the soundtrack had to be updated across every streaming service. During that process, the albums get pulled down until everything is properly transferred and verified. It’s tedious, but it’s standard procedure.
What Krafton Actually Got
Krafton’s acquisition of Tango Gameworks was specifically designed to widen their global presence by investing in a Japanese studio. They got the entire development team, the Hi-Fi Rush IP with full rights to make sequels, and the ability to develop new original projects under Krafton’s support.
What they didn’t get was the rights to Tango’s previous games like The Evil Within or Ghostwire: Tokyo. Those remain with Microsoft. The publishing rights to the original Hi-Fi Rush also stayed with Microsoft/Bethesda temporarily until the November 14 transition was complete.
The Soundtrack Is Back Now
As of November 15, 2025, the Hi-Fi Rush original soundtrack started reappearing on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms. Fans who had songs saved to their playlists can now play them again without issues. The full original soundtrack by composers Shuichi Kobori, Reo Uratani, and Masatoshi Yanagi is available, along with the licensed tracks that made the game so memorable.
The game’s licensed music library is genuinely impressive. It includes Lonely Boy by The Black Keys, 1,000,000 and The Perfect Drug by Nine Inch Nails, Invaders Must Die by The Prodigy, and tracks from The Flaming Lips, Fiona Apple, and more. These songs are integrated directly into boss fights and key moments, making them essential to the Hi-Fi Rush experience.
Why Fans Were So Worried
The panic over the soundtrack delisting makes more sense when you understand what Hi-Fi Rush fans have been through. The game launched as a surprise shadow drop in January 2023 and became an instant critical darling. It won awards, generated incredible word-of-mouth, and seemed like exactly the kind of creative success story the industry needs more of.
Then in May 2024, Microsoft shut down Tango Gameworks as part of broader studio closures. It looked like Hi-Fi Rush would be a one-and-done game with no future. The shutdown was widely criticized as short-sighted, especially since Hi-Fi Rush was such a creative and commercial success.
Krafton stepping in to acquire the studio in August 2024 was a genuine lifeline. But even with that good news, fans remained nervous about the game’s long-term availability, especially given all the licensed music involved. So when the soundtrack disappeared without warning, it triggered all those anxieties again.
Licensing Is Always the Wild Card
Game soundtracks with licensed music face unique challenges that purely original soundtracks don’t. Every licensed song requires separate contracts with artists, labels, and rights holders. Those contracts are typically time-limited and need to be renegotiated periodically.
Hi-Fi Rush includes a streamer mode that replaces licensed tracks with original compositions specifically to avoid copyright claims during broadcasts. This feature exists because the licensed music component is so integral to the base game that losing those songs would fundamentally change the experience.
The good news is that Krafton clearly renegotiated or transferred all the necessary licensing agreements when they took over publishing. The soundtrack returning to streaming platforms suggests those contracts are solid and the music isn’t going anywhere.
FAQs
Why did the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack disappear from Spotify?
The soundtrack was temporarily delisted due to the publisher transition from Microsoft/Bethesda to Krafton. When ownership and publishing rights change hands, streaming platforms pull content until all the metadata and contracts are properly updated.
Is the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack back on streaming now?
Yes. As of November 15, 2025, the original soundtrack has returned to Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms. All songs should be playable again.
When did Krafton take over Hi-Fi Rush publishing?
The publishing rights officially transferred to Krafton on November 14, 2025. Krafton had acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP back in August 2024, but the publishing transition took several months to finalize.
What music is in the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack?
The game features an original score by Shuichi Kobori, Reo Uratani, and Masatoshi Yanagi, plus ten licensed tracks from artists including Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys, The Prodigy, The Flaming Lips, Fiona Apple, and Number Girl.
Can I still buy the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack on Steam?
Yes. The Hi-Fi Rush Original Game Soundtrack remained purchasable on Steam even when it was delisted from streaming platforms. Steam purchases are separate from streaming availability.
Is Hi-Fi Rush getting a sequel?
Krafton acquired full rights to the Hi-Fi Rush IP, which means Tango Gameworks can develop sequels. However, no sequel has been officially announced yet.
What happened to Tango Gameworks?
Microsoft shut down Tango Gameworks in May 2024. Krafton acquired the entire studio and all its developers in August 2024, allowing them to continue working on Hi-Fi Rush and new original projects under Krafton’s ownership.
Conclusion
The temporary disappearance of the Hi-Fi Rush soundtrack was nothing more than administrative growing pains from the publisher transition to Krafton. While it caused understandable panic among fans who’ve watched this game survive one near-death experience already, the quick return of the music to streaming platforms shows that everything is fine. Krafton clearly values the Hi-Fi Rush IP and has taken care to preserve all the elements that made the game special, including its incredible licensed soundtrack. For fans who just want to rock out to Nine Inch Nails while remembering that amazing Zanzo boss fight, the wait is over. The music is back, and hopefully it’s staying for good.