The music is praised for establishing a "dark and edgy" vibe that fits the high-stakes, risk-versus-reward gameplay of Rivals .

Players primarily hear the licensed tracks while driving peacefully through the open world.

Unlike previous titles where you could skip tracks easily, Rivals leans into a "soundscape" approach where the audio is tied directly to the action on screen. Soundtrack Differences: "Underground Rivals" Need for Speed: Rivals - Spotify

A critical distinction in NFS: Rivals is the transition between licensed "Radio" music and the composed score by Vanesa Tate .

Reviewers and players on platforms like Reddit have mixed feelings about how the soundtrack is implemented.

Critics from PopMatters argue the game is "at war" with its own soundtrack because the frequent police chases constantly cut off the licensed songs, making it difficult to hear the full tracks during gameplay.