Sonic is not a consistent franchise. You don’t need me to tell you that, it’s just a fact at this point. But what is also a fact is that, as a series, it does a really good job in non-game media. The IDW comics, the new theatrical releases, even Sonic’s various forays into television - they’ve all been very successful.
This also applies to music. Sonic music very rarely extends outside of the games themselves, with some exceptions like 2021’s 30th Anniversary Symphony, and yet the series has produced some of the gaming world’s most iconic tracks, such as Green Hill Zone, Live & Learn and City Escape.
In this series, ‘The Music of Sonic’, I would like to go back through the games and talk about where the music was good, where it was bad, and where it was absolutely brilliant. So, let’s start with where it all began in the 1990s with the classic games.
Overview of the Classics
To create the music for the first game, Sega enlisted the help of Masato Nakamura, bassist and songwriter for the Japanese pop band Dreams Come True. He returned to write the score for the second game. Hilariously, Dreams Come True owns the rights to the Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 music, so Sega couldn’t use the music from their own games for a while.
Sonic CD famously features two soundtracks: one for Japan and Europe, and one for North America. The original Japanese soundtrack is certainly the more iconic, drawing inspiration from club music of the time. The American soundtrack, while less well-known, does have some interesting pieces included.
For Sonic 3, the King of Pop himself Michael Jackson joined the project for a time. It is unclear how long he remained on the project for, why exactly he left, and how much of his music remains in the game, but it is undoubtable that parts of his music remain in the Credits theme, as well as the Carnival Night Zone - and let us not forget that Ice Cap Zone’s tune is literally ‘Hard Times’ by The Jetzons.
The First One: The Music of Sonic 1
Just like with the gameplay, the best representation of Sonic 1’s music is the first level, Green Hill Zone. The music is simple and slow, which somewhat contrasts the way that Sonic the Hedgehog plays. And yet, it only invites you to keep playing and exploring. The upbeat tempo works so well with the speed of the player, running through those pixelated green hills.
The synthetic sound of the Sega Genesis really shines in these tracks - Nakamura really didn’t let the technical limitations hold him back. Marble Zone has a strong, catchy tune, whereas Spring Yard Zone has music that sounds straight out of a (particularly retro) club, with a bouncy beat that perfectly matches the setting of the stage. The sharp notes of Labyrinth Zone have a very twang-ey feel to them, and for many that’s a bit of a miss.
Star Light Zone’s tune is very slow and almost dream-like, which fits the environment really well. You’re running along a city through the night sky, and it is beautiful both visually and audibly.
But then you’re hit by the truck that is Scrap Brain Zone, the tune only increasing the pressure felt by the player as they navigate through the tricky level design. It helps motivate you to continue and finish your journey; to finally stick it to that Robotnik and beat the game. It’s the high stakes that make this tune stand out wonderfully.
After the intense(ly easy) final brawl against Robotnik, you liberate South Island and are rewarded with a beautiful credits tune that recaps the game as a whole and reminds you of the exciting adventure you have just embarked on. And with it concluding with a modified variant of the title theme, you really feel as though your journey is complete and you have come full circle.
Double Trouble: The Music of Sonic 2
When the time came for a follow-up to the great success that was the first Sonic game, Nakamura was again commissioned to produce the score. Much like the game itself, Sonic 2’s music only improves on the first game’s soundtrack.
Starting with Emerald Hill Zone’s high-energy pop and rock sound, followed by Chemical Plant Zone’s catchy melody is a wonderful combination to start the game with. Chemical Plant is the first song to really have a rock influence, I would say. As we know, rock would go on to be an important genre for the rest of the franchise.
My personal favourite tune in the game comes from Mystic Cave Zone. The music here is sublime, with a catchy melody and memorable baseline that work spectacularly together. Other tunes like the peaceful Sky Chase Zone and the almost-foreign Oil Ocean Zone fit their stages very well.
Despite the widely varying genres of music present in Sonic 2, the Genesis’ soundfont allows for a consistent sound that means no tune feels out of place here. Sonic 2 really feels like Nakamura was running free with the sound and just creating what he envisioned as the perfect music for the game, and that is reflected through the environment-fitting pop music heard here.
The ending theme this time is a cover of the Dreams Come True song “Sweet Sweet Sweet”, which in itself is honestly a pretty catchy song, then transitioning once again into a recap of the game’s soundtrack - starting with the last level, for some reason. You do you, Nakamura.
Either way, the conclusion of Sonic 2 ties the two game’s soundtracks together nicely and leaves the 90s Sonic fan wondering... what’s next?
The King of Retro Pop
Sonic 3 & Knuckles arrived in 1994, and the music behind this game is quite interesting. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before, but for the sake of any newcomers I’ll briefly explain it:
Nakamura would not return for Sonic 3, likely because he asked for a pay raise and Sega denied it. However, international pop sensation Michael Jackson happened to be a fan and approached Sega about writing for Sonic 3. Sega jumped at the opportunity to have such a massive name on the project and Jackson was hired.
In 1993, accusations were made against Jackson that for the safety of the reader, I shall not go into here. This is one of two reasons that may have led to Jackson leaving the project, the other being that he was unhappy with how his music sounded on the Sega Genesis.
It is hard to deny that influences of Jackson’s music remain in the game. Carnival Night Zone includes elements of the song ‘Jam’, and the Credits theme, an original composition this time, became the song ‘Stranger in Moscow’ two years later.
We can’t forget that Brad Buxer, who worked with Jackson for many years, also worked on Sonic 3. A song from a band called The Jetzons, which Buxer was in, was turned into the theme for Ice Cap Zone. The song, ‘Hard Times’, was recorded in 1981 but never released - it's genuinely a good song in its own right, you should listen to it.
How much of Jackson’s music actually remained in-game, besides the examples I have listed, is unknown. Buxer stated the following about the matter in 2009, “I do not know what tracks on which Michael and I have worked the developers have kept, but we did compose music for the game.”
He went on to claim that Jackson was unhappy with the sound of the Genesis, with Buxer stating, “He did not want to be associated with a product that devalued his music”.
Triple Trouble: The Music of Sonic 3
Sonic 3 (& Knuckles) has a beautiful and dynamic soundtrack. It’s clear that whoever was responsible for the music here did an amazing job at building on what Nakamura set out in the first two games.
Starting with Sonic 3, the two acts of a zone have unique themes. This goes a long way towards making each act of each zone feel different and makes them more memorable in their own right. Combined with the big gameplay changes seen in the second act of each zone, it creates a new and distinct feel for every level that you play.
Angel Island Zone, for example, has a huge tonal shift as the island is set alight by one of Robotnik’s creations. The tune goes from an upbeat tropical samba to a fast-paced drum-heavy beat.
I’ve already covered several of Sonic 3’s tracks in the previous section, so skipping straight over to Sonic & Knuckles we are greeted with Flying Battery Zone, which features one of the hardest tracks in the entire classic saga. Lava Reef Zone has a strangely relaxed tone, but with a hint of edge. It feels like a dormant volcano that could erupt at any volcano - which is just what this zone is, so it fits rather thematically.
The difference between the final two levels, Sky Sanctuary Zone and Death Egg Zone, is certainly notable. Sky Sanctuary has an angelic, ethereal sound which is quite different from Death Egg’s grungy, intense music - much like Scrap Brain from the first zone, Death Egg really reminds you that this is it. That this is the moment.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles truly wraps up the classic games with some of the best music in the series’ history, from Hydrocity Zone’s aquatic dance to the aforementioned Flying Battery. In spite of all of the controversy surrounding this game’s music, it still manages to stand out as a shining example of what the Sega Genesis and its contemporaries can achieve with their limited soundfonts.
Two Sides, Same Coin: The Music of Sonic CD
As previously discussed, Sonic CD is unique in that, depending on the region you purchase the game in, you’ll hear a different soundtrack. The music of the game overall, particularly the Japanese release, has a very “New Jack Swing” sound, as most (if not all) of the music here fits into that genre.
The sound quality of the soundtrack is leagues above that of Sonic 1 and 2, thanks to Sega’s Genesis CD add-on (for which this game was exclusive). It’s clear that those involved made the most of the new technology and pushed it to its limit with the soundtrack. I mean, have you listened to JP Palmtree Panic?
Much like Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic CD’s music changes depending on variables in the level. But here, it’s not based on act - no, it’s based on time. CD has a time-travelling mechanic, in which players can remain in the Present, travel to the Past, or liberate the Bad Future to become a Good Future. All of these different time zones, for all levels, have different music.
Not only are you rewarded with a nicer level visually upon liberating a zone, but you’re also rewarded with a stunning track of CD-quality. The music in the game varies heavily, from the bouncy techno tunes of Collision Chaos to the jazzy sounds of Stardust Speedway.
Oh, and then there’s the American soundtrack. This one is so strange, with overly creepy Game Over and Boss themes, and... rock-and-roll for Quartz Quadrant? That’s a little strange.
New Age, New Music: The Music of Sonic Mania
I’ll keep this one short as technically Sonic Mania isn’t a classic game - rather, it’s a modern game styled after those classics. The game is very faithful to the originals, and the music is reflected in that.
The remixes of old music with new technology creates crisp, satisfying tunes to speed along to, with my particular favourites being Flying Battery Zone - Act 2 and Hydrocity Zone - Act 1.
The new tracks are spectacular. The game’s composer, Tee Lopes, is a musical mastermind and deserves the praise he receives in the community. Studiopolis Zone - Act 1 and Press Garden Zone - Act 2 stand out to me, but his work on the other zones (especially Mirage Saloon Zone) is wonderful.
Concluding the Classics
All five of the classic games have brilliant soundtracks, from a variety of composers and with a variety of genres. The music here defines the fourth generation of gaming, and certainly won’t be forgotten any time soon.
Next time: the Adventure era.
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