Summary
One of the most iconic aspects of theSonicfranchise is its music, especially its large use of vocal tracks. Since 1993,Sonichas had vocal songs that reflect the very essence of the mainline game it was made for. From boss themes, character themes, and even some level themes, there are many songs throughout the franchise featuring a vast range of musical styles. The series is also famous for including mainstream singers on some tracks as well as their in-house band, Crush 40.
What is a notable feature for many of these themes is howtheir lyrics resonatewith the game, and how they can also be enjoyed as standalone songs. Many of the following main vocal themes from the mainlineSonicseries possess this ability, whereas some only make sense in the game’s context. However they stand, these songs are enjoyed and appreciated by many players, and help set apart Sonic’s music as something extra special.
Sonic CDwas first released in September 1993 on a piece of hardware called the Sega CD. This was an add-on to the Genesis console. Its new CD-ROM feature provided a new and exciting development in video game music. It meant that the very existence of vocal music in games was now possible.
This song holds the title of being the very first vocal track in the series. Affectionately known as “Toot Toot Sonic Warrior” to fans, it was performed by Keiko Utoku and Casey Rankin. It’s known for being fun and catchy, albeit with random and slightly weird lyrics.
9Sonic Boom
Sonic CD
In what is still a debated topic among the fan base today, Sega of America delayedSonic CD’sNorth American release by two months, to compose an almost wholly newsoundtrack for the game. This overwhelming task fell to composers Spencer Nilsen, Mark Crew, and David Young. Nilsen composed a new main vocal theme, which was performed by the group Pastiche.
The move to completely rewrite Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata’s original score for Sonic CD attracted quite a backlash from critics and fans. They felt Sega of America’s commission for a “richer” soundtrack was highly biased against what was simply a different cultural music scene in Japan. However, Sonic Boom is a good song and is generally the preferred vocal theme of the two.
This is one of the most adrenaline-pumping, fast-paced themes in the series. Though the lyrics are typical of modern-era Sonic, it can still be enjoyed on its own. The song serves to highlight the friendship and loyalty between Sonic and the Rookie, thus the words can apply to any real-life friendship. It was sung by Doug Robb of the band Hoobastank.
The theme was composed by series Sound Director Tomoya Ohtani, who’s also composed the main themes for every mainline game since 2006. Ohtani originally wanted to create an orchestral rendition of Fist Bump forSonic Forces’final boss, but instead decided on producing an entirely new theme. This was due to how Fist Bump had been used throughout the game in many ways already.
Sonic Frontiersfeatures many vocal songs, with “I’m Here” serving as the game’s main theme. It is an intense track, which juxtaposes between a soft piano melody and hard rock instrumentation. It also stands out as the only main vocal theme to not play during the credits in the main Sonic series.
It is sung by Merry Kirk-Holmes, an Australian singer from the band To Octavia, who was approached by composer Jun Senoue after he’d listened to some of the group’s songs. It also plays during a Titanboss battle. InThe Final Horizonupdate for the game, the track was remastered with Kellin Quinn performing the vocals. Quinn had sung on the other Titan tracks previously.
6Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
This song was performed by Crush 40, an iconic Sonic group. This is one of their more recognizable tracks, retaining the rock sound of their preceding songs “Open Your Heart” and “Live and Learn,” but overall being more upbeat. It represents the turn from the darker storylines ofSonic Heroes’immediate predecessors by including more playful lyrics. The game as a whole hasa more lightheartedplot.
This is one track, though still enjoyable on its own, with lyrics meant solely for the game. The theme of teamwork which is central to this game, and the final boss against Metal Overlord, are acknowledged in this song. In fact, this song is so well known that it can be unlocked and put as background music in theMario and Sonic at the Olympic Gamesfranchise.
Featuring soaring vocals and melodic dramatic instrumentation, this is another popular and renowned Sonic track. Though the lyrics like “the colors feel so right” obviously tieinto the game, this is another song where the uplifting music and beautiful vocals render it enjoyable outside the game as a casual electro-pop song. The song is sung by Jean Paul Makhlouf from the group Cash Cash, who also contributed massively to theSonic Generationssoundtrack.
Over the years it’s grown to be particularly iconic, and a variety of versions exist. These are direct or orchestral remixes of the song, or shortened versions used as jingles. Players can perform Rhythmic Gymnastics to it inMario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In otherOlympictitles, it can also be set to background music.
This track marked the formation of what would become a fan-favorite band, Crush 40, who have contributed significantly to the franchise. They formed when Sound Director Jun Senoue, famous for bringing hard rock music into Sonic in the first place, contacted the lead singer of the band Hardline, Johnny Gioeli. Senoue was a fan of the band’s music and brought Gioeli on to sing this game’s theme.
The result was one of the most captivating final boss themes in the whole of Sonic and one that made Crush 40 central to future Sonic games’ soundtracks. The lyrics refer to many of the game’s themes, and also to thefinal boss fightagainst Perfect Chaos. When an enraged Chaos threatens to drown Station Square in water, Super Sonic must pacify the beast. This rock anthem makes the fight even more thrilling for players.
This pop-rock song is a fan favorite, well-liked for its positive message and inspiring lyrics. It’s so iconic that it’s been one of the main songs featured in Sonic musical concerts, such as the30th Anniversary Symphonywhich was streamed on YouTube, and the present-daySonic Symphony World Tour.
It is performed inUnleashedby Jaret Reddick from the band Bowling for Soup. This track is truly one of the franchise’s strongest vocal songs, well-loved by many, even those who aren’t fans of the franchise. It perfectly encapsulates Sonic’s positive attitude, confidence, and the themes of the game. Interestingly, the lyrics can also be taken out ofUnleashed’scontext, and phrases like “I’m not looking back” give an uplifting message to listeners.
The main theme ofSonic ’06is another popular song and one of the strongest of the series. Instantly iconic, it showcases much musical diversity, harmonizing the rock and orchestral styles beautifully and even featuring rap verses. It served as the bridge between the early-modern and contemporary3D games, still keeping a rock backbone as defined by Sound Director Jun Senoue from 1998-2005. He was replaced as Sound Director by Tomoya Ohtani in 2006. Ohtani brought in much more orchestral music, and paired it beautifully with the rock style fans had come to associate with Sonic’s 3D era.
The song featured two members of the band Zebrahead: Ali Tabatabaee and Matty Lewis. Much to Ohtani’s amazement, it was even sampled in Canadian rapper Drake’s track “KMT.” “His World” serves as the game’s main theme and is widely believed to also be Sonic’s theme. This is technically “Sweet Dream,” performed by the composer of the very first 2D Sonic games, Masato Nakamura, and his band Dreams Come True.
With the success and appreciation ofSonic Adventure’s unique soundtrack, Crush 40 returned to work on its successor’s theme. Surpassing the standards set by “Open Your Heart”, “Live and Learn” is one of the band’s mostfamous tracks. It plays during Super Sonic and Super Shadow’s battle against the Finalhazard.
What is so legendary about this track is how it works both inside and outside the game. There’s plenty of relation to the games’ themes, but it can be taken out of context and enjoyed as a completely standalone track. The very word “Live” represents Sonic’s free spirit and “Learn” represents Shadow’s journey in the game, as he discovers his purpose and his true promise to Maria. This work of genius represents the very best of Crush 40, with brilliant vocals and an enthralling hard rock melody.
