**NBA 2K26 Season 2 to Feature Iconic Songs from Past Games, Bringing Nostalgic Vibes to the Soundtrack**

NBA 2K26 Season 2 is set to include a selection of iconic songs from previous 2K titles, delivering a nostalgic experience for longtime fans while showcasing the series’ rich history of memorable music. To get an inside look at how the perfect basketball soundtrack is assembled, I caught up with David Kelley, the Director of Global Partnerships & Licensing for the NBA 2K series. Below is an edited exchange of our email conversation.

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### Shacknews: What’s the process like when it comes to selecting which songs make the cut for a new NBA 2K game? Do you ever run into issues getting licenses for songs that you want?

**David Kelley:**
We approach every soundtrack as a reflection of both basketball and culture. Our 2K Music team—which includes myself, Richie Menchavez, and Simon Weedn—practically live and breathe music to build something that feels true to the moment and to our community. Each of us comes from different areas of the music industry, including artists, DJs, managers, music supervisors, live events, studio engineers, and composers, enabling us to bring a well-rounded and unique perspective.

We work closely with our development team at Visual Concepts to discover dynamic ways music can enhance the NBA 2K experience. With additional support from Take-Two’s world-class music team, we tap into incredible expertise across the board.

Of course, licensing is a huge part of that process. We collaborate with amazing partners like Fox Sound Studios and maintain long-standing relationships with labels, publishers, and artists worldwide. There are always songs we wish we could include that, for one reason or another, don’t clear in time—but that’s part of the fun and challenge. The passion our team has for music keeps us pushing until the soundtrack feels right.

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### Shacknews: The popularity of some songs is short-lived. Are there ever any concerns that players will grow tired of certain tracks, particularly ones tied to viral trends or cultural moments?

**Kelley:**
That’s definitely something we consider, which is why NBA 2K’s live service model has been a game-changer for us. We refresh the soundtrack every six weeks, allowing us to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in music right now.

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### Shacknews: There’s an old Drake lyric that goes, “I swear sports and music are so synonymous, ’cause we want to be them, and they want to be us.” Can you talk about the relationship between music and basketball, and how it informs your work on NBA 2K?

**Kelley:**
That lyric nails it. Basketball and music are indelibly linked. The culture around the game goes hand-in-hand with the sound that fuels it. Players walk into the arena with headphones on; artists sit courtside at games—it’s all one ecosystem of creativity.

When building the NBA 2K soundtrack, we think about how a track feels in that context. Music amplifies the emotional beats of the game, and our job is to ensure every track supports that energy. NBA 2K26 Season 2’s new *Greatest Hits* soundtrack really captures that philosophy.

It doesn’t matter when a song was released, who’s behind it, or where they are from; if a track captures the energy that resonates with our community, we want our audience to hear it in NBA 2K.

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### Shacknews: There’s a lot of nostalgia wrapped up in the 2K soundtracks of years past. How many of the “greatest hits” are you bringing back for Season 2 of NBA 2K26? What songs immediately jumped out as ones you had to bring back?

**Kelley:**
We’re bringing back a mix of iconic tracks that have defined the NBA 2K experience over the years. Without revealing the full list yet, there are unmistakable records from both classic and newer artists.

The selection process was heavily guided by community feedback. Fans have been incredibly vocal about which songs they still associate with certain eras of NBA 2K, and that passion made it easy to see what belonged on the *Greatest Hits* list.

This season truly is a celebration—a chance to honor the music that shaped the game’s identity while introducing those classics to a whole new generation of players.

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Stay tuned for more updates on NBA 2K26 Season 2 as its release draws near!
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146361/nba-2k-26-season-2-soundtrack-interview