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Brad Buxer, a composer who worked with Michael Jackson, said that he and Jackson composed music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in 1993. Buxer said Jackson was unhappy with how the game console reproduced the music, but that is Buxer’s account—not a confirmed explanation from Sega. A former Sega executive gave a different account of why the collaboration ended, and Sega did not officially confirm Jackson’s involvement, according to 2009 reporting.
What game was involved?
The story concerns Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released by Sega in 1994 for the Genesis, known as the Mega Drive in some regions. In an interview reproduced by TechCrunch on December 3, 2009, Buxer said he and Jackson composed music for the game in 1993. TechCrunch’s reproduction of Buxer’s interview is the source for his account.
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Why was Jackson not credited?
Buxer said Jackson was dissatisfied with the sound coming from the console and did not want to be associated with a product that, in his view, did not reproduce the music well. He also said he did not know which pieces he and Jackson worked on had been kept by the developers. His comments therefore do not establish that Jackson composed the entire soundtrack, or identify particular tracks as his.
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What is the connection to “Stranger in Moscow”?
Buxer said that chords he and Jackson had composed for the game were later used as a basis for Jackson’s song “Stranger in Moscow.” That statement supports a connection between some musical material and the game project; it does not identify which game tracks were retained or show that the song was simply a finished Sonic composition reused unchanged. Buxer’s interview is the source for this claim.
Did Sonic Origins confirm Jackson’s involvement?
No. In 2022, Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka posted about changes to the music in Sonic Origins. GameSpot later reported that Naka said he felt misunderstood and was not confirming Jackson’s involvement. The collection uses recreated tracks for Sonic 3 rather than the original game’s score, according to GameSpot’s report. A change in soundtrack is not, by itself, proof of who composed the original music.
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- Swing from vines, launch new attacks, survive deadly traps and summon Tails to airlift Sonic out of danger. Discover hidden rooms and passageways in the mega-sized Zones. Transform into Super Sonic and experience the ultimate in speed and ultra-sonic power. Save your progress using the new Game Save Feature.
Which version can you play today?
Sega’s Sonic Origins Plus physical edition for Nintendo Switch includes Sonic 3 & Knuckles. The collection’s Sonic 3 music differs from the 1994 game’s soundtrack, so it is not a way to hear that original score in the modern release. Sega’s official Sonic Origins Plus page describes the physical edition and collection contents.
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- Swing from vines, launch new attacks, survive deadly traps and summon Tails to airlift Sonic out of danger. Discover hidden rooms and passageways in the mega-sized Zones. Transform into Super Sonic and experience the ultimate in speed and ultra-sonic power. Save your progress using the new Game Save Feature.
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