Soundtrack Music

Music style
The Sims base game music bears resemblance to jazz and muzak (elevator/shopping music), but starting with The Sims 2 the music shifted more towards resembling popular music. From The Sims 2: University and onwards the game music featured music by real life recording artists in Simlish.

House Party
Radio stations: Rap, Techno, Country, Beach, and Disco.

Hot Date
Radio station: Jazz.

The Sims 2
The Sims 2 soundtrack music is set up by Maxis' audio director Robi Kauker. He is in charge of making all the radio stations like rap, salsa, heavy metal, and pop. The music took about a year to record and was restricted from being repetitive. Kauker says, "Diehard Sim fans spend virtual lifetimes playing, so the music can't be repetitive."

The theme music and music from the Create-A-Sim portion of the game was created by Mark Mothersbaugh, a founding member of Devo, whom Maxis enlisted. However Kauker took a variety of styles from the radio for the music within the game. Maxis asked several developers to help develop the music like the Humble Brothers.

Music from The Sims 2 and The Sims 2: University was remixed by real DJs in The Sims 2: Nightlife.

University

 * "Come On" - Steadman
 * "This Conversation Is Over" - Acceptance
 * "Beautiful Life" - Charlotte Martin
 * "Outsider" - The Daylights
 * "Sway" - The Perishers
 * "Pretty People" - Dexter Freebish
 * "Very Very Rich Town" - Go Betty Go
 * The Compromise" - The Format

Pets

 * "Chemicals React" - Aly & AJ
 * "Cast Long Shadows" - Brazil Candles
 * "I play Chicken with a Train" - Cowboy Troy
 * "Future" - Cut Copy
 * "Fortuzala" - Dena Deadly
 * "Free Radicals" - The Flaming Lips
 * "Colours" - Hot Chip
 * "So Glad To See You" - Hot Chip
 * "Hit It" - Isabelle Huang
 * "Topsy Turvy" - Jessi Malay
 * "Unthinkable" - Joanna J
 * "Come On Come On" - Kristen Dex
 * "Turn Out the Light" - New Amsterdams
 * "Dixie Dixie Where Have You Been All My Life" - Prescott
 * "Hurt Nobody" - Prescott
 * "Boombox Breakdown" - Ralph Myerz and The Jack Herren Band
 * "Girl Next Door" - Saving Jane
 * "Boyhunter" - Skye Sweetnam
 * "I Never Know" - Something for Rockets
 * "Wow Wow Wow" - Tanaila
 * "Black Shoes" - The Films
 * "The Compromise" - The Format
 * "Topy Apa Ty" - The Netw0rk&nbsp
 * "Don't Cha" - Pussycat Dolls
 * "Simpatico" - Touchstone
 * "Wubbas Doo" - W of P3 Aff

Seasons

 * "Mr. High And Mighty" - Government Mule
 * "Smile" - Lily Allen
 * "Blue Jeans Pizza" - Moe
 * "Band N" - The Breadbox
 * "The Next One" - The Chris McCarty
 * "Close Your Eyes" - The String Cheese Incident
 * "When It All Falls Apart" - The Veronicas

FreeTime

 * "Fa-Fa-Fa" - Datarock
 * "It's A Party" - Fire Flies
 * "Into The Sun" - Great Northern
 * "Britney" - I'm From Barcelona
 * "La Otra Princesa" - Lara
 * "Your Forgiveness" - Lexington Bridge
 * "Pocket Full Of Sunshine" - Natasha Bedingfield
 * "Take Out The Trash" - They Might Be Giants

Apartment Life

 * “Everything” - Performed by A Cursive Memory
 * “Getting Better” -Performed by Bob Schneider
 * “Radio” - Performed by Castaneda
 * “Fancy Footwork” - Performed by Chromeo
 * “Battle Royale” - Performed by Does It Offend You, Yeah?
 * “Sweet About Me” - Performed by Gabriella Cilmi
 * “Club Soda” - Performed by Ghostland Observatory
 * “Where Would We Be Now” - Performed by Good Charlotte
 * “Violet Stars Happy Hunting!” - Performed by Janelle Monae
 * “Crazy” - Performed by Jem
 * “Mad Pursuit” - Performed by Junkie XL feat. Electrocute
 * “Hot N Cold” - Performed by Katy Perry
 * “Ghosts” - Performed by Ladytron
 * “Mozdulj Mar (Mondulo Mar)” - Performed by Lola
 * “Ona Odna (She's Alone)” - Performed by Ranetki Girls
 * “This Is Not A Test” - Performed by Shock of Pleasure
 * “Brainless” - Performed by Sunny Day Sets Fire
 * “Good Day” - Performed by Tally Hall
 * “Come My Sunshine” - Performed by The Comas
 * “Divebomb” - Performed by The Whip
 * “Not A Love Song” - Performed by Uh Huh Her
 * “On & On” - Performed by Vanilla Sky
 * “Can't Believe My Eyes” - Performed by Wainwright

Ambitions

 * Lady Antebellum - “Need You Now”
 * Rise Against - “Savior”
 * Charice - “Pyramid”
 * Melanie Fiona - “Bang Bang”
 * Toni Braxton - “Make My Heart”
 * Neon Trees - “Animal”
 * V V Brown - “Shark In The Water”
 * Daisy Dares You - “Number One Enemy”
 * OK Go - “This Too Shall Pass”
 * Old 97’s - “Early Morning”
 * Murder By Death - “As Long As There is Whiskey In The World”
 * The Acorn - “Restoration”
 * Mike Posner - “Cooler Than Me”
 * Violent Soho - “Jesus Stole My Girlfriend”
 * Kerli - “Tea Party”
 * Eli “Paperboy” Reed - “Come And Get it”
 * Hal Linton - “Lock My Heart Down”
 * Radney Foster And The Confessions - “Until It’s Gone”
 * The Constellations - “Setback”