It's Official: Michael Jackson Worked On Sonic 3

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

kotaku.com/5418198/yes-michael-jackson-did-work-on-sonic-the-hedgehog-3

Late pop star Michael Jackson had a fairly close relationship with Sega, lending his image to Space Channel 5 and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. Jackson was also rumored to have contributed to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, a rumor now confirmed.

According to an interview in the French magazine Black & White—the "official magazine of Michael Jackson"—Jackson's composer and musical director Brad Buxer says Michael was responsible for some of Sonic 3's compositions. The themes that appear in Sonic 3 and some of Jackson's own songs are not a coincidence.

As for Sega and Sonic the Hedgehog lead Yuji Naka's caginess about confirming Jackson's involvement? This may be your answer.

"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," Buxer said. "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..."

That translation of the interview comes from a poster on the VGMdb forums, who we'll credit for helping to finally put an end to this mystery.

Well finally that rumor is put to bed.

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

But he didn't mind it when Moonwalker was released on home consoles?

[Tapout]

Dec 3, 2009 14:42:04 GMT -5 Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action said:

But he didn't mind it when Moonwalker was released on home consoles?

Moonwalker for the Genesis was a masterpiece and you should be ashamed of yourself for casting aspersions.

Who are you to doubt Moonwalker? This game is a serious professional and a jam-up guy.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

I thought it was already official.

[Alucard]

Thanks Kotaku for telling us exactly what we all already became aware of quite a while back.

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Dec 3, 2009 14:44:42 GMT -5 BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps said:

I thought it was already official.

Nope, just rumors and speculation. No one who worked on the game, or anyone who was close to Michael, has come out and confirmed any of this, until now.

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Dec 3, 2009 14:46:02 GMT -5 Alucard said:

Thanks Kotaku for telling us exactly what we all already became aware of quite a while back.

Nice attempt at sarcasm.

And nobody was actually aware of this. All anyone was aware of was the RUMOR that he worked on the game.

[Alucard]

Dec 3, 2009 14:48:20 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:46:02 GMT -5 Alucard said:

Thanks Kotaku for telling us exactly what we all already became aware of quite a while back.

Nice attempt at sarcasm.

And nobody was actually aware of this. All anyone was aware of was the RUMOR that he worked on the game.

o.O there's like eighty videos on youtube citing the similarities in structure, sound, and so on in Sonic 3 music and Michael Jackson songs. So, yeah. Lots of people knew and generally accepted that yeah, dude probably did the music. The evidence was quite there.

So um...wot?

It's one of those things where I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm not, because I kinda already felt aware of it. Cool that they finally said "yeah that's for real." But it just kinda feels like it's not really news when it was already in the back of our minds.

Maybe I came across as more assholey than I had intended, but I think you get what I was swingin' at now.

[VengeanceGOD]

Dec 3, 2009 14:46:15 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:44:42 GMT -5 BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps said:

I thought it was already official.

Nope, just rumors and speculation. No one who worked on the game, or anyone who was close to Michael, has come out and confirmed any of this, until now.

Actually, I got it confirmed years ago by the game's sound designer, but the forum I posted it on, no one read and it didn't get spread anywhere. So yeah, this is the first official internet-wide confirmation.

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Dec 3, 2009 14:54:22 GMT -5 Alucard said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:48:20 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Nice attempt at sarcasm.

And nobody was actually aware of this. All anyone was aware of was the RUMOR that he worked on the game.

o.O there's like eighty videos on youtube citing the similarities in structure, sound, and so on in Sonic 3 music and Michael Jackson songs. So, yeah. Lots of people knew and generally accepted that yeah, dude probably did the music. The evidence was quite there.

So um...wot?

It's one of those things where I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm not, because I kinda already felt aware of it. Cool that they finally said "yeah that's for real." But it just kinda feels like it's not really news when it was already in the back of our minds.

Maybe I came across as more assholey than I had intended, but I think you get what I was swingin' at now.

I get what you are trying to say, but aside from those that worked on the game, no one actually knew. The reason all those videos on YouTube came up is because of the rumor. None of those videos were "proof". For all we know, prior to this confirmation, SEGA could've pulled a Vanilla Ice and stole MJ's tunes and just added a few new beeps and bloops and called it their own.

[The Wraith]

"We landed on the moon!"

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Dec 3, 2009 15:02:17 GMT -5 The Wraith said:

"We landed on the moon!"

No we didn't....

[Insomniac]

Dec 3, 2009 15:03:21 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Dec 3, 2009 15:02:17 GMT -5 The Wraith said:

"We landed on the moon!"

No we didn't....

CONSPIRACY!

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

Dec 3, 2009 14:58:45 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:54:22 GMT -5 Alucard said:

o.O there's like eighty videos on youtube citing the similarities in structure, sound, and so on in Sonic 3 music and Michael Jackson songs. So, yeah. Lots of people knew and generally accepted that yeah, dude probably did the music. The evidence was quite there.

So um...wot?

It's one of those things where I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm not, because I kinda already felt aware of it. Cool that they finally said "yeah that's for real." But it just kinda feels like it's not really news when it was already in the back of our minds.

Maybe I came across as more assholey than I had intended, but I think you get what I was swingin' at now.

I get what you are trying to say, but aside from those that worked on the game, no one actually knew. The reason all those videos on YouTube came up is because of the rumor. None of those videos were "proof". For all we know, prior to this confirmation, SEGA could've pulled a Vanilla Ice and stole MJ's tunes and just added a few new beeps and bloops and called it their own.

Well, if that was the case, then MJ would have siced his lawyers on Sega. They'd be well within his radar since he had already worked with them prior to Sonic 3's development.

[default]

Dec 3, 2009 14:58:45 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:54:22 GMT -5 Alucard said:

o.O there's like eighty videos on youtube citing the similarities in structure, sound, and so on in Sonic 3 music and Michael Jackson songs. So, yeah. Lots of people knew and generally accepted that yeah, dude probably did the music. The evidence was quite there.

So um...wot?

It's one of those things where I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm not, because I kinda already felt aware of it. Cool that they finally said "yeah that's for real." But it just kinda feels like it's not really news when it was already in the back of our minds.

Maybe I came across as more assholey than I had intended, but I think you get what I was swingin' at now.

I get what you are trying to say, but aside from those that worked on the game, no one actually knew. The reason all those videos on YouTube came up is because of the rumor. None of those videos were "proof". For all we know, prior to this confirmation, SEGA could've pulled a Vanilla Ice and stole MJ's tunes and just added a few new beeps and bloops and called it their own.

Mom! Dad! Quit fighting! You're ruining my birthday party!

[Alucard]

Dec 3, 2009 15:19:49 GMT -5 default said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:58:45 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

I get what you are trying to say, but aside from those that worked on the game, no one actually knew. The reason all those videos on YouTube came up is because of the rumor. None of those videos were "proof". For all we know, prior to this confirmation, SEGA could've pulled a Vanilla Ice and stole MJ's tunes and just added a few new beeps and bloops and called it their own.

Mom! Dad! Quit fighting! You're ruining my birthday party!

Your birthday is next month

[default]

Dec 3, 2009 15:21:08 GMT -5 Alucard said:

Dec 3, 2009 15:19:49 GMT -5 default said:

Mom! Dad! Quit fighting! You're ruining my birthday party!

Your birthday is next month

It's August. (If you checked my profile, I registered in January.)

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

Dec 3, 2009 14:55:23 GMT -5 VengeanceGOD said:

Dec 3, 2009 14:46:15 GMT -5 Koda, Master Crunchyroller said:

Nope, just rumors and speculation. No one who worked on the game, or anyone who was close to Michael, has come out and confirmed any of this, until now.

Actually, I got it confirmed years ago by the game's sound designer, but the forum I posted it on, no one read and it didn't get spread anywhere. So yeah, this is the first official internet-wide confirmation.

[B.B.M]

Kotaku's reporting can now stand alongside the great reporting style of Rajah.

[Alucard]

Dec 3, 2009 15:27:03 GMT -5 default said:

Dec 3, 2009 15:21:08 GMT -5 Alucard said:

Your birthday is next month

It's August. (If you checked my profile, I registered in January.)

...

That post didn't happen.