Difference between revisions of "Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Development/Music"
From Sonic Retro
(→List of music tracks linked to Team and Composer) |
(→List of music tracks linked to Team and Composer) |
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! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Angel Island Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Angel Island Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
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! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Hydrocity Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Hydrocity Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
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! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Marble Garden Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Marble Garden Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 124: | Line 124: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Carnival Night Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Carnival Night Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
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! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Flying_Battery_Zone|Flying Battery Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Flying_Battery_Zone|Flying Battery Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 180: | Line 180: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[IceCap Zone|Ice Cap Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[IceCap Zone|Ice Cap Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 212: | Line 212: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Launch Base Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Launch Base Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 244: | Line 244: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Mushroom_Hill_Zone|Mushroom Hill Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Mushroom_Hill_Zone|Mushroom Hill Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 268: | Line 268: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sandopolis_Zone|Sandopolis Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sandopolis_Zone|Sandopolis Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 292: | Line 292: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Lava_Reef_Zone|Lava Reef Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Lava_Reef_Zone|Lava Reef Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 311: | Line 311: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Hidden_Palace_Zone_(Sonic_%26_Knuckles)|Hidden Palace Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Hidden_Palace_Zone_(Sonic_%26_Knuckles)|Hidden Palace Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 330: | Line 330: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sky_Sanctuary_Zone|Sky Sanctuary Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sky_Sanctuary_Zone|Sky Sanctuary Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 349: | Line 349: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sandopolis_Zone|Sandopolis Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sandopolis_Zone|Sandopolis Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 373: | Line 373: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Fire Breath|Sub-Boss Theme]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Fire Breath|Sub-Boss Theme]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 397: | Line 397: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Unused Theme | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Unused Theme | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 416: | Line 416: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Dr._Eggman|Boss Theme]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Dr._Eggman|Boss Theme]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 435: | Line 435: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[The_Doomsday_Zone|The Doomsday Zone]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[The_Doomsday_Zone|The Doomsday Zone]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 454: | Line 454: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus_Stage_(Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3_%26_Knuckles)#Glowing_Spheres|Bonus Stage (Rolling Jump)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus_Stage_(Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3_%26_Knuckles)#Glowing_Spheres|Bonus Stage (Rolling Jump)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 473: | Line 473: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)|Special Stage (Blue Spheres)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)|Special Stage (Blue Spheres)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 492: | Line 492: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus_Stage_(Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3_%26_Knuckles)#Slot_Machine|Bonus Stage (Slot Machine)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus_Stage_(Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3_%26_Knuckles)#Slot_Machine|Bonus Stage (Slot Machine)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 511: | Line 511: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)|Bonus Stage (Gumball)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Bonus Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)|Bonus Stage (Gumball)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 531: | Line 531: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Knuckles|Knuckles' Theme]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Knuckles|Knuckles' Theme]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 558: | Line 558: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Azure Lake Zone|Azure Lake Zone (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Azure Lake Zone|Azure Lake Zone (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 577: | Line 577: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Balloon Park Zone|Balloon Park Zone (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Balloon Park Zone|Balloon Park Zone (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 596: | Line 596: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Desert Palace Zone|Desert Palace Zone (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Desert Palace Zone|Desert Palace Zone (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 615: | Line 615: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Chrome Gadget Zone|Chrome Gadget Zone (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Chrome Gadget Zone|Chrome Gadget Zone (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 634: | Line 634: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Endless Mine Zone|Endless Mine Zone (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Endless Mine Zone|Endless Mine Zone (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 653: | Line 653: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Title Screen | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Title Screen | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 677: | Line 677: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Staff Roll | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Staff Roll | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 709: | Line 709: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Game Over | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Game Over | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 728: | Line 728: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3#Competition_mode|2-Player Results (Competition)]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3#Competition_mode|2-Player Results (Competition)]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 747: | Line 747: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Act Cleared | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Act Cleared | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 766: | Line 766: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Extra Life | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Extra Life | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 789: | Line 789: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Got Emerald | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Got Emerald | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 808: | Line 808: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Invincibility / Transformation Music | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Invincibility / Transformation Music | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 831: | Line 831: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Azure Lake Zone|Competition Screen]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Azure Lake Zone|Competition Screen]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 854: | Line 854: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Data Select | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Data Select | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 873: | Line 873: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Launch_Base_Zone_bosses#Big_Arm|Final Boss Theme]] | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | [[Launch_Base_Zone_bosses#Big_Arm|Final Boss Theme]] | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 892: | Line 892: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Drowning Countdown Timer | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Drowning Countdown Timer | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 911: | Line 911: | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Game Complete | ! scope="col" style="width: 280px;" | Game Complete | ||
! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ! scope="col" style="width: 20px;" | ID | ||
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 120px;" | Version(s) |
− | ! scope="col" style="width: | + | ! scope="col" style="width: 72px;" | Team |
! Composer(s) | ! Composer(s) | ||
|- | |- |
Revision as of 03:00, 24 November 2019
- Back to: Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Development.
Unlike other Sonic games, the music of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 stands as an ongoing controversy for Sega due to the choices made during development. It is not fully understood how much of the soundtrack is owned by the company, having outsourced its production to third-parties, some of which have chosen to distance themselves from the project in later years.
Masato Nakamura, responsible for the soundtracks to the first two Mega Drive Sonic games games, was at the time having a great deal of success with his band, Dreams Come True, leading him up his demands for working on a possible Sonic 3. Nakamura wanted more money; both for his contributions in this new game and for if Sega chose to reuse his compositions for any future Sonic titles. Sega declined, and decided to look elsewhere for the composition power needed in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was set to be developed in the United States at the Sega Technical Institute, where a chunk of the original Sonic Team (including Yuji Naka and Hirokazu Yasuhara) were still situated. Answering the call, Sega are thought to have been approached by pop sensation Michael Jackson and his team. Jackson had a history with Sega (most notably producing Michael Jackson's Moonwalker early in the Mega Drive's lifespan) and had visited Sega's offices in Japan some months prior. He liked video games, he liked Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sega accepted immediately.
“ | And you wouldn't believe the celebrities who did cameos. Dustin Hoffman, Michael Jackson...of course they didn't use their real names, but you could tell it was them. | „ |
— Lisa Simpson, The Simpsons episode 9F03, "The Itchy & Scratchy Movie"[1] |
However, Michael Jackson is not credited in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (or indeed Sonic & Knuckles - the eventual "second half" of the adventure). Instead, credits go to the following "music composers": Brad Buxer, Bobby Brooks, Darryl Ross, Geoff Grace, Doug Grigsby III and Scirocco (and in addition, Sega's internal sound team and Cube are also confirmed to have composed music for the game). The omission, particularly in the early 90s when only the core team of developers usually made it into the credits, was perhaps not surprising, but still curious as several staff members have mentioned the star by name.
Jackson had a history of going uncredited (or using pseudonyms) in productions, often due to contractual complications. Reportedly Jackson's record label at the time, Epic Records refused permission for the star to sing for any of its potential rivals. The most famous example of this is third season episode of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, Stark Raving Dad (1991), where despite guest starring as "Micheal Jackson", the credit is given to "John Jay Smith", a person that does not exist[2]. This was later referenced in a season four episode of the show.
In 1993, Michael Jackson became caught up in child sexual abuse allegations and cancelled the final leg of his Dangerous World Tour due to health concerns. General Manager of the Sega Technical Institute at that time, Roger Hector, stated in a 2005 interview and in a follow up video interview on Pop Fiction in 2013 that this scandal lead to Michael Jackson's music being removed. Brad Buxer, a member of Michael Jackson's production team, argued that the music was not removed but instead Michael Jackson was simply uncredited. Additionally, Buxer stated the reason was not the scandal but that Michael Jackson was not satisfied with the sound quality produced by the Sega Mega Drive system.
In 2016, Todd van Luling from the Huffington post reached out to all the composers involved, and in this article they explained that they had in fact been assembled by Michael Jackson to help compose music for the game and confirmed that the music they made could still be heard in the final release of the game, providing hard evidence on what had been speculated on for more than a decade. Additionally, with the revelation of the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 1993-11-03 prototype in 2019, it appears that the music that Michael Jackson's team produced was used to replace existing tracks in the Sega Mega Drive version, with Sonic & Knuckles Collection retaining the original prototype tracks composed by Sega's internal sound team and Cube. This further points the evidence in the direction of Michael Jackson not wanting to be credited due to the sound quality, as the development team had the option to completely roll back to the original tracks they had prior to the involvement of Michael Jackson if the scandal had been so objectionable.
Contents
- 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Credits
- 2 List of music tracks linked to Team and Composer
- 3 List of Sonic 3 audio samples linked to source
- 4 Background on Michael Jackson's Team
- 5 Background on SEGA Sound Team
- 6 Current issues
- 7 List of music tracks
- 8 References
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Credits
Michael Jackson's Team
The following people are listed as 'Music Composers' in the ending credits scroll, with Buxer, Grigsby and Jones all confirming in this 2016 Huffington Post article that they worked with Michael Jackson on the soundtrack to Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
- Brad Buxer
- Bobby Brooks
- Darryl Ross
- Geoff Grace
- Doug Grigsby III
- C. Cirocco Jones ("Scirocco")
SEGA Sound Team
The following people are listed under 'SEGA Sound Team' in the ending credits scroll.
- Tokuhiko Uwabo ("Bo")
- Sachio Ogawa
- Yoshiaki Kashima ("Milpo")
- Masaru Setsumaru
- Tatsuyuki Maeda
- Tomonori Sawada
- Masayuki Nagao
- Jun Senoue
Sound Special Thanks
The following people are listed under 'Sound Special Thanks' in the ending credits scroll. While Nagao has confirmed that Miyoko Takaoka and Masanori Hikichi contributed music to the game, it is unclear what the others did.
- Mayumi Nina Sakazaki (MRM)
- Cube Corp.
- Opus Corp.
- Masanori Nakayama (Studio Who)
- Howard Drossin
List of music tracks linked to Team and Composer
This is a work in progress list to identify the team and composer behind each piece of music in Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Discussion Thread.
Angel Island Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
01 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
02 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
No notes yet. |
Hydrocity Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
03 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
04 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
Originally believed to be composed by Michael Jackson's team due to Cirocco Jones' website having a section for "Levels 2 & 3" of a Sonic the Hedgehog game with a demo called The Water. However, this is likely NOT by Michael Jackson's team. The Act 2 remixed version isn't just slightly changed like other MJ songs. There are no vocal sounds like other MJ compositions. "Level 3" mentioned (Marble Garden Zone) has been confirmed as being composed by a member of SEGA's Sound Team. Same tunes exist in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (prototype; 1993-11-03). Music also remixed in Sonic Mania. Speculated to be composed by Masanoria Hikichi, but no confirmation was found. |
Marble Garden Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
05 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: Miyoko Takaoka[3] | |
06 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: Miyoko Takaoka | |
Confirmed via the composer's Twitter feed. |
Carnival Night Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
07 | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 1: ??? | ||
08 | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 2: ??? | ||
Both acts of the S3 version contain music inspiration from Jam by Michael Jackson. |
Flying Battery Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
09 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
0A | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
No notes here. |
Ice Cap Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
0B | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 1: Brad Buxer | ||
0C | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 2: Brad Buxer | ||
The S3 version based on Hard Times by The Jetzons in 1982. Brad Buxer was keyboardist in The Jetzons and is credited in Sonic 3. BMI credits Bruce Connole as songwriter/composer. Connole was vocalist of the 1982 composition. |
Launch Base Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
0D | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 1: ??? | ||
0E | Prototype / PC | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | Act 2: ??? | ||
No notes yet. |
Mushroom Hill Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
0F | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
10 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
No notes here. |
Sandopolis Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
11 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
12 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
Not a Howard Drossin composition. His tune not similar to version used in-game. |
Lava Reef Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
13 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
Used only for the zone's first act. Second act uses the music for Hidden Palace Zone. |
Hidden Palace Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
14 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
Is also used as Lava Reef Zone's Act 2 music. |
Sky Sanctuary Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
15 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
Also used as the ending cut-scene music for S3&K before the staff roll occurs. |
Sandopolis Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
16 | All Versions | Sega | Act 1: ??? | |
17 | All Versions | Sega | Act 2: ??? | |
No notes here. |
Sub-Boss Theme | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
18 | Prototype / PC / Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | ??? | |
2E | Sonic 3 | Michael Jackson | Brad Buxer | |
Sonic 3 version built upon Knuckles' Theme (Sonic 3 version). Likely composed by Brad Buxer. Features similar chord progression used in Is It Scary from Blood on the Dancefloor album. Geoff Grace is credited as arranger. |
Unused Theme | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 2E | Prototype / PC | Sega | ??? |
Was replaced in Mega Drive versions with sub-boss music. |
Boss Theme | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
The Doomsday Zone | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1A | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
Bonus Stage (Rolling Jump) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1B | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue | |
Also known as the Glowing Balls/Magnetic Orbs bonus stage. Confirmed as composer via the Sonic & Knuckles * Sonic The Hedgehog 3 music CD (ALCA-5015). Track 7, part 1 of the music. |
Special Stage (Blue Spheres) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1C | All Versions | Sega | Yoshiaki Kashima[4] | |
Was recycled from the unreleased SegaSonic Bros. for the Sega System C2 (arcade) in 1992 from Stage 40 to 49 gameplay music. Music also listed as track 15 on the Sonic The Hedgehog 10th Anniversary music CD. |
Bonus Stage (Slot Machine) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
File:Slots.png | 1D | All Versions | Sega | ??? |
No notes here. |
Bonus Stage (Gumball) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1E | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue[5] | |
Confirmed through interview with the composer. |
Knuckles' Theme | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
File:Angelislandknuckles.png | 1F | Prototype / PC | Sega | ??? |
Sonic 3 | Michael Jackson | Brad Buxer | ||
Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Howard Drossin | ||
Music used in the prototype occurs during cut scenes with Knuckles at the end of AIZ Act 2 & HZ Act 2 (but not at start of AIZ Act 1). Same music is used in the Sonic & Knuckles Collection PC version. The Sonic 3 version was heavily inspired by the drum beat of Blood on the Dancefloor by Michael Jackson (drum programming credited to Brad Buxer). |
Azure Lake Zone (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes yet. |
Balloon Park Zone (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
21 | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue[6] | |
Composition credit shared with Sega Sound Team on Sonic Generations Original Soundtrack Blue Blur music CD (Disc 2, Track 24). |
Desert Palace Zone (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
22 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
Chrome Gadget Zone (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
23 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
Endless Mine Zone (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
24 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
The melody bears similarities to "Escape from the City" from Sonic Adventure 2, composed by Jun Senoue. However, Senoue himself has stated that said track is not based on Endless Mine Zone's music[7], nor does he mention working on this 2P zone's music. |
Title Screen | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
25 | Prototype / PC / Sonic 3 | Sega | Sonic 3: Tomonori Sawada[8] | |
PC / Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Sonic & Knuckles: Howard Drossin[9] | ||
Title screen music changes on the PC version based on the game combination the player chooses to play. |
Staff Roll | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 26 | Prototype / PC | Sega | ??? |
Sonic 3 | Michael Jackson | Brad Buxer[10] | ||
DC | Sonic 3C Proto | Sega / Cube / Michael Jackson | Various | |
PC / Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Various | ||
Staff roll used in the PC version accessible through Sound Test of Prototype. The Sonic 3 version of the staff roll was the basis of Michael Jackson's song Stranger In Moscow, as confirmed in the Black & White magazine interview, and episode 100 of TheMJCast audio interview. Brad Buxer used the same chords. The Sonic 3C prototype changed the staff roll music to incorporate themes from zones of the S3 & S&K games. However, the final mix was a medley of S&K zones only. |
Game Over | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 27 | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue |
Is credited in Sonic 3D Blast for Genesis for the same cue. |
2-Player Results (Competition) | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
28 | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue | |
Is credited in Sonic 3D Blast for Genesis as the Congratulations Screen music when unlocking Level Select. This music was also used as the Continue Screen music, and the No Way? No Way! Screen music when locking the S&K cart onto another Genesis cart. |
Act Cleared | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
29 | All Versions | Sega | Jun Senoue | |
Is credited in Sonic 3D Blast for Genesis for the same cue. |
Extra Life | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 2A | Prototype / PC / Sonic 3 | Sega | Tomonori Sawada |
PC / Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Howard Drossin | ||
S3 version based off S3 title screen. Composer likely associated with Sawada. Was also used during a Progressive Insurance commercial in 2012. S&K version uses tune of S&K title screen. This tune likely associated with Drossin. PC version switches depending on the game combination the player choose to play. |
Got Emerald | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 2B | All Versions | Sega | ??? |
No notes here. |
Invincibility / Transformation Music | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2C | Prototype / PC / Sonic 3 | Sega | Tomonori Sawada | |
PC / Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Howard Drossin | ||
S3 version based off S3 title screen. Composer likely associated with Sawada. Was also used during a Progressive Insurance commercial in 2012. S&K version uses tune of S&K title screen. This tune likely associated with Drossin. PC version switches depending on the game combination the player choose to play. |
Competition Screen | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2D | Prototype / PC | Sega | ??? | |
Mega Drive | Michael Jackson | ??? | ||
Prototype didn't use music (was only accessible in the Sound Test), but is used as Competition Menu in Sonic & Knuckles Collection. |
Data Select | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2F | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
Final Boss Theme | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
30 | All Versions | Sega | ??? | |
No notes here. |
Drowning Countdown Timer | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 31 | All Versions | Sega | Yukifumi Makino |
Was used as early as Sonic The Hedgehog for Mega Drive. |
Game Complete | ID | Version(s) | Team | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
**No Image** | 32 | PC / Sonic 3 | Sega | Tomonori Sawada |
Sonic & Knuckles | Sega | Howard Drossin | ||
The S&K version is unused. |
List of Sonic 3 audio samples linked to source
Download Sonic 3 Samples (WAV Format)
File: S3sampswav.rar (125 kB) (info)
|
ID | Audio | Type | Description | Source | Sample Pack / Original | Zone / Event |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9F |
Played at 13.5kHz |
Sample | "Jam!" long | Michael Jackson: "Jam" | Original | Carnival Night Zone |
A0 |
Played at 13.5kHz |
Sample | "Jam!" short | Michael Jackson: "Jam" | Original | Carnival Night Zone |
A1 | Sample | Glass breaking 1 | Carnival Night Zone | |||
A2 | Sample | Glass breaking 2 | Carnival Night Zone, Launch Base Zone | |||
A5 | Sample | "Come on!" | Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock: "Joy & Pain" (0:00) | Sample Pack | Sub-boss | |
A9 | Sample | "Woo!"/"HUH" | Norman Cook - "Skip To My Loops" (Track 64) | Sample Pack | Sub-boss | |
AA | Sample | "Go!" | Run-DMC: "Peter Piper" (1:56) | Sample Pack | Launch Base Zone | |
AB | Sample | "Go!" + Snare | Same as AA sample with snare drum added | Edited Sample Pack | Launch Base Zone | |
B4C1-C4 | Sample | Chord Stab | ||||
B5 | Sample | Chord Stab | ||||
B6 | Sample | "Yeah" / "Hey" + Kick | Unknown | Sample Pack / Maybe Edited to add Kick | Knuckles' Theme, Sub-boss | |
B8-B9 | Sample | Chord Stab | ||||
BC | Sample | Chord Stab | ||||
BE | Sample | "Woo!" + Glass Breaking | Same as A9 Sample with Glass Breaking added | Edited Sample Pack | Sub-Boss | |
C0 | Sample | Breath | Original ? | |||
X | Sample | Chord Stabs | Similar to sample BC | |||
81 | Drum | Snare | ||||
82-85 | Drum | Tom | ||||
86 | Drum | Kick | ||||
87 | Drum | Snare | ||||
88 | Drum | Kick+Cymbal | ||||
89 | Drum | HiHat | ||||
8A-8B | SFX | Metal hit | ||||
8C | SFX | Pop/Click | ||||
8D-8E | Drum | |||||
8F | Clap | |||||
90-93 | Drum | E.Tom | ||||
94-97 | Drum | E.Snare | ||||
98-9A | Drum | Timpani | ||||
9B | Drum | Snare | ||||
9C | SFX | Shaker | ||||
9D | SFX | Distorted Kick | ||||
9E | SFX | Hit | ||||
A3 | SFX | Hit | ||||
A4 | Drum | Muted Kick | ||||
A6 | Drum | E.Snare | ||||
A7 | Drum | Vintage Kick | ||||
A8 | Drum | Processed Kick | ||||
AC | Drum | Processed Kick | ||||
AD-AE | Percussion | Wooden Hit | ||||
AF-B0 | Percussion | Metal Hit | ||||
B1 | SFX | Sci-Fi Sound | ||||
B2-B3 | Clap | Knuckles' Theme | ||||
B7 | Drum | Kick | ||||
BA | SFX | Reverse cymbal | ||||
BB | SFX | Record Scratch | ||||
BD | Drum | Kick | ||||
BF | SFX | Click |
Background on Michael Jackson's Team
Roger Hector
“ | Sonic 3 (also called Sonic & Knuckles) was a lot of fun, but it was also very difficult. Michael Jackson was originally brought in to compose all the music for the game, but at the very end, his work was dropped after his scandals became public. This caused a lot of problems and required a lot of reworking. But the game turned out great in the end. | „ |
— Roger Hector, General Manager of the Sega Technical Institute[11] |
In an interview in August 2005, Roger Hector, the "executive coordinator" of both Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, confirmed that Michael Jackson composed all the music for the game, but was dropped due to the 1993 scandal[11]. This was backed up by a separate interview two years later, claiming that the Jackson soundtrack was never heard by the general public[12].
While Hector was not directly involved in Sonic 3's development, his role was to manage all projects at STI, and was usually involved with high level discussions (Jackson's signing and dismissal being two of them).
“ | The music fitted perfectly for the game, and they had a distinctive 'Michael Jackson' sound. We had it all ready and integrated into the game when the first news stories came out accusing him child molestation, and Sega had to back away from the collaboration...It was too bad nobody outside ever heard the Michael Jackson music. | „ |
— Roger Hector, Executive Coordinator, Sonic 3 & Knuckles[12] |
This was the first confirmation we had about Michael Jackson's involvement in the game.
Brad Buxer
Brad Buxer, credited in Sonic 3, was a long-time contributor with Michael Jackson. He is the co-writer of the 1996 hit, Stranger in Moscow, and was also involved with the production of Jam and Who Is It, all of which are thought to share similarities with the Sonic 3 soundtrack.
Black & White Magazine (2009) Interview
Buxer shed some light into Michael Jackson's involvement in a December 2009 interview with Black & White Magazine. In this interview, Buxer confirms that the final release of Sonic 3 does contain at least one piece of work by Michael Jackson:
“ | B&W: Can you clarify the rumor that Michael had in 1993 composed the music for Sonic 3 video game, for which you havel been credited?
Buxer: I've never played the game so 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. Michael called me at the time for help on this project, and that's what I did. And if he is not credited for composing the music, it's because he was not happy with the result sound coming out of the console. At the time, game consoles did not allow an optimal sound reproduction, and Michael found it frustrating. He did not want to be associated with a product that devalued his music... B&W: One of the surprising things in this soundtrack is that you can hear the chords from Stranger in Moscow, which is supposed to have been composed later... Buxer: Yes, Michael and I had composed those chords for the game, and it has been used as base for Stranger in Moscow. [...] |
„ |
— An excerpt from the Black & White Magazine interview with Brad Buxer[13] |
According to this statement, Jackson did not wish to be credited by name in the game because he was unhappy with the quality of sound the Sega Mega Drive's Yamaha YM-2612 sound chip produced. Buxer's statement also confirms that the similarity between Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow" and Sonic 3's ending credits song are not a coincidence, and that the credits theme indeed uses chords originally composed by him and Buxer.
However, these statements directly contradict what Roger Hector has said.
The MJCast (2019) Interview
In May 2019, Buxer was featured giving an interview on the The MJCast where he talked about the origin of Stranger in Moscow and his work on Sonic 3:
Buxer describes how he was assigned by Michael Jackson to start composing the music for the game, and it was Buxer who "delegated other people to help...like Doug Grigsby and Darryl Ross and other people."
Brad Buxer frames himself in the interview as being the lead on the Sonic 3 project, with Michael Jackson having less personal involvement.
Buxer states that in the end they had about 41 music cues ready for the game.
This suggests that it is possible that every act and zone had a track composed for it, even zones planned for Sonic & Knuckles, but we know that only a few appeared and only in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 alone. If this is true, it could provide an explanation as to why Roger Hector feels that people never heard the Michael Jackson soundtrack. Sonic & Knuckles features no tracks by Michael Jackson's team, and only a small number of the tracks made it into Sonic the Hedgehog 3, in contrast to all of the tracks Michael Jackson's team produced.
Howard Drossin
According to Roger Hector, Howard Drossin is said to have been brought in to replace Michael Jackson's music[12], but also goes uncredited in Sonic 3. He is, however, the main composer behind Sonic & Knuckles (and is credited there).
Drossin, when recollecting his involvement in the soundtrack in August 2008, was adamant that Michael Jackson had nothing to do with the final product, but went on to say that he was not responsible for the bulk of the soundtrack as Roger Hector claimed, but only a handful of his tracks made it into the final product, most exclusive to Sonic & Knuckles[14].
When locked onto Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles creates Sonic 3 & Knuckles. When this occurs, the miniboss and Knuckles themes (and most of the jingles) from Sonic 3 are replaced with their Sonic & Knuckles counterparts, most of which were composed by Drossin. So in this context, some Sonic 3 tracks were replaced by Drossin's compositions, but the true reasoning for why remains unclear.
Cirocco Jones
A discography of another musician (or "music consultant") working on the game, Cirocco Jones (appearing as 'Scirocco' in the Sonic 3 credits), lists a "levels 2 & 3" as being composed by Michael Jackson and belonging to "Sonic The Hedgehog"[15]. While "levels 2 & 3" could be referring to Hydrocity Zone and Marble Garden Zone, respectively, it could easily be referring to prototype level ordering, or indeed the order in which the group composed music.
Correspondence between him and Sonic Retro members has revealed that him and the other composers spent "countless hours" working with Michael, while trying to make sure it fit Sega's needs. He also revealed that there may be a lawsuit going on or about to go on as Sega owes them money.[16]
Other composers
In addition to Brad Buxer and Cirocco Jones, other credited composers are known to have worked alongside Michael Jackson in the early-to-mid 1990s.
Robert Green "Bobby" Brooks was working with Michael and his siblings as an audio engineer, possibly from as early as their Motown years. Darryl Ross was also an engineer working with the star, Geoff Grace a composer, and Doug Grigsby III produced some of Jackson's material during this time period. All four were involved in the creation of Michael Jackson's next album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I which released in 1995, and none are known to have previously worked in video games (or indeed since in most cases).
Sonic & Knuckles Collection
In 1997 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles were brought to Windows PCs in the form of Sonic & Knuckles Collection.
In this edition of the game, six of the tracks (Carnival Night, IceCap, Launch Base, the credits to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Knuckles' theme in Sonic 3 and the Competition menu) have entirely different compositions, and the Mini-Boss theme is always the Sonic & Knuckles version, with the slot for the Sonic 3 version being replaced with an entirely different (and unused) song. The reasoning for this has never been clearly explained, and has not applied to subsequent Mega Drive re-releases of the game(s).
Initially it was believed that these new songs were composed to be replacements to avoid rights issues, however as these tracks are present in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (prototype; 1993-11-03) people have speculated that the PC version may have been in simultaneous development as the Sega Mega Drive version. It is possible that the compositions in the PC/Prototype were what was originally planned before Michael Jackson's team was introduced, and only the development team working on the Sega Mega Drive version got the compositions produced by Michael Jackson's music team.
Audio similarities
While it has yet to be confirmed which tracks were influenced by Michael Jackson, there are definitely some clues left in the game.
Knuckles' theme
The 4-bar swinging hiphop beat that plays when Knuckles comes on-screen, one conveniently replaced in Sonic & Knuckles and the PC release of the game, contains samples that sound identical to "Blood on the Dance Floor".
Carnival Night Zone
Both acts of Carnival Night Zone share similarities to "Jam", most notably in the use of a horn-based "downwards fall" (played directly before Heavy D's rap in the Jackson song):
(identical notes between the two songs are highlighted in red)
The final note in the sequence is accompanied by a distorted audio sample taken directly from the song "Jam", played on the YM2612's DAC channel. This sample is located in the Sonic 3 ROM. The poor fidelity of the sample playback on the Sega Mega Drive system could be supporting evidence of Brad Buxer's comment in the Black & White interview that Michael Jackson went uncredited as he was unsatisfied with the sound quality.
Ice Cap Zone
Much of the Ice Cap Zone theme was composed by Brad Buxer, as an unreleased 1982 track by new wave band the The Jetzons[17]. "Hard Times" was unheard by the general public until 2008, when it appeared as part of The Complete Jetzons compilation[18].
While it is unlikely Michael Jackson had any direct involvement in this one, a good portion of Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" shares a chord structure similar to that of the first act 1. This is especially noticeable in the version that plays in the Moonwalker movie, which isn't found on the Bad album. Roughly six minutes into the song, following the bass solo after the quiet orchestral section (as Jackson and the gangsters perform the Anti Gravity Lean), the bassline and string section clearly changes to a piece of music very similar to Ice Cap Zone. After the main bassline returns, a keyboard continues to play the Ice Cap chord sequence until the end of the song.
Jackson's "Who Is It" is also very similar to the zone. The keyboard section under the chorus, when sped up, has an almost identical chord structure and texture to that of the Sonic 3 level.
Credits theme
Sonic 3's credits theme is extremely similar to a faster-paced "Stranger In Moscow", another Buxter-Jackson collaboration. The synth/strings section, as heard in the intro before the lyrics start, is identical to the sequence that plays during the first section of the ending theme to Sonic 3.
Particularly unusual about this find is that Stranger In Moscow was not released until a full two years after Sonic 3. It has been suggested that the Sonic 3 credits theme may have been a prototype to this song.
Background on SEGA Sound Team
Tokuhiko Uwabo
Uwabo has stated that he was responsible for management of the game's sound development, which involved assigning the staff at Sega and contracting other composers. He did not do any work on the sound itself.[16]
Yoshiaki Kashima
In a 2001 interview, he revealed he composed the special stage theme, previously used in SegaSonic Bros, which also happens to have more tracks that made it into later games. He stated that he was unable to go into further detail due to the confidentiality of the information.
“ | I composed a music for "spacial stage". and I work for Sonic3,in the others,too. but sorry.I cannnot tell the detail. because,it's confidential information. | „ |
— Yoshiaki Kashima[4] |
Masaru Setsumaru
According to Facebook PMs between Setsumaru and Sonic Retro members, he was responsible for sound programming along with Yoshiaki Kashima. He was also responsible for sound effects and arrangement, although not music composition. [16]
Tomonori Sawada
Sawada stated in a SoundCloud PM in 2015 that he did not compose Sky Sanctuary's music, previously assumed to be his based on the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 10th Anniversary CD crediting the five Sonic 3 & Knuckles tracks to him, Kashima, and Drossin. He stated that he composed 3's title screen music and some jingles instead. He also said that he is no longer able to tell who did each track anymore, most likely due to him no longer having the documentation.[8]
Masayuki Nagao
Nagao has confirmed he was involved with arrangements and programming, including Hydrocity Zone Act 2. He also "produced" more than half of the songs for the game. Opus Corp. is mentioned in the credits as Nagao was getting ready to join the company while working on the game.
Jun Senoue
In a 2002 interview, he mentions that the bonus stage tracks were composed by him. However, he is unable to reveal details, due to "so much secret things". When asked on Twitter about who did what for Sonic 3 & Knuckles' music, he simply stated that Sega done it. [19]
Current issues
In the modern age, video game companies have become increasingly wary of re-releasing games in their back catalogue that they may not own the full rights to. The changes seen in Sonic & Knuckles Collection would suggest the music in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has been presenting a problem since at least 1997. Sega is not thought to have been challenged on the use of Sonic 3's music, but it remains a thorny issue to this day.
No subsequent Sonic game has ever revisited Carnival Night, Ice Cap or Launch Base Zone. Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania avoid these levels, and likewise, the music accompanying Knuckles or the mini boss has never been heard outside of Sonic 3. Curiously, however, some of the replaced Sonic 3 jingles have turned up in newer games (such as the title screen and 1-up theme), which would suggest Sega owns the rights to those, but a game like Sonic Pocket Adventure, whose entire soundtrack is lifted from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles has no signs of the so-called Jackson tracks.
Despite being offered by Christian Whitehead, Sega chose not to offer remastered mobile versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in a similar manner to the 2013 releases of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Likewise while other mobile versions of Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 were commissioned, none were released for Sonic 3.
Sonic 3 is less widely available than its Mega Drive counterparts - while included where it is expected (e.g. Sonic Jam or Sonic Mega Collection), it is often neglected in budget Mega Drive consoles made by AtGames, and is missing from the 2018 release of Sega Mega Drive Classics, despite virtually every other first-party Mega Drive game making an appearance.
There is no concrete evidence that the music holds Sonic 3 back, however there have been similar cases where the publisher has been reluctant to re-release games that may present legal issues. Nintendo's Earthbound on the Super NES is one such example - the Virtual Console release was held back for years because much of the game's soundtrack samples popular songs from The Beatles and elsewhere.
List of music tracks
Both Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles
ID | Usage | Musicans | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Angel Island Zone Act 1 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
02 | Angel Island Zone Act 2 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
03 | Hydrocity Zone Act 1 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
04 | Hydrocity Zone Act 2 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
05 | Marble Garden Zone Act 1 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
06 | Marble Garden Zone Act 2 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
07 | Carnival Night Zone Act 1 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
08 | Carnival Night Zone Act 2 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
09 | Flying Battery Zone Act 1 | ||
0A | Flying Battery Zone Act 2 | ||
0B | IceCap Zone Act 1 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
0C | IceCap Zone Act 2 | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
0D | Launch Base Zone Act 1 | ||
0E | Launch Base Zone Act 2 | ||
0F | Mushroom Hill Zone Act 1 | ||
10 | Mushroom Hill Zone Act 2 | ||
11 | Sandopolis Zone Act 1 | ||
12 | Sandopolis Zone Act 2 | ||
13 | Lava Reef Zone Act 1 | ||
14 | Lava Reef Zone Act 2, Hidden Palace Zone | ||
15 | Sky Sanctuary Zone | ||
16 | Death Egg Zone Act 1 | ||
17 | Death Egg Zone Act 2 | ||
18 | Sub-boss | Same as 2E in Sonic & Knuckles | |
19 | Boss | ||
1A | The Doomsday Zone | ||
1B | Bonus Stage (Glowing Spheres) | ||
1C | Special Stage | ||
1D | Bonus Stage (Slot Machine) | ||
1E | Bonus Stage (Gumball) | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
20 | Azure Lake | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
21 | Balloon Park | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
22 | Desert Palace | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
23 | Chrome Gadget | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
24 | Endless Mine | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
26 | Credits | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
27 | Game over | ||
28 | Competition results, Blue Sphere | Faster in Sonic 3 | |
29 | Act complete | ||
2B | Chaos Emerald | ||
2D | Competition menu | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone | |
2F | Options, level select | ||
30 | Final boss | ||
31 | Countdown | Blank in Sonic & Knuckles alone |
Sonic the Hedgehog 3-only
ID | Usage | Musicans | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
1F | Knuckles | ||
25 | Title screen | ||
26 | Credits | ||
2A | Extra life | ||
2C | Invincibility | ||
2E | Sub-boss | ||
32 | Ending |
Sonic & Knuckles-only
ID | Usage | Musicans | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
1F | Knuckles | ||
25 | Title screen | ||
2A | Extra life | ||
2C | Invincibility | ||
32 | Ending |
Prototype/Sonic & Knuckles Collection
ID | Usage | Musicans | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
07 | Carnival Night Zone Act 1 | ||
08 | Carnival Night Zone Act 2 | ||
0B | IceCap Zone Act 1 | ||
0C | IceCap Zone Act 2 | ||
0D | Launch Base Zone Act 1 | ||
0E | Launch Base Zone Act 2 | ||
1F | Knuckles | ||
26 | Credits | ||
2E | Unknown |
References
- ↑ wikipedia:Itchy &_Scratchy: The Movie
- ↑ http://www.eeggs.com/items/2279.html
- ↑ @soundforest1 on Twitter
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Milpo Interview by LOst (July 23, 2001)
- ↑ Jun Senoue interview by LOst (June 2002)
- ↑ https://vgmdb.net/album/29979
- ↑ @crush40 on Twitter
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://imgur.com/o7TQff6
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 3/Development/Music#Howard_Drossin_interview
- ↑ [ ]
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Roger Hector interview by hxc (August 2005)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 File:Makingofs3kpg4.jpg
- ↑ Brad Buxer Interview (Black & White, November/December 2009)
- ↑ Howard Drossin interview by SageXPO (August 2008)
- ↑ http://www.musicpowers.com/id31.html
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 https://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?threads/stuff-ive-gotten-from-the-sonic-3-music-team.27943/#post-662546
- ↑ http://www.sonicretro.org/2013/11/even-more-sonic-3-music-details-emerge/
- ↑ http://www.fervor-records.com/no-news/fervor-records-at-center-of-sonic-the-hedgehog-michael-jackson-musical-mystery/
- ↑ @crush40 on Twitter
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