Sonic the Hedgehog’s career has been a rollercoaster, with some great heights and real low points. One thing that has stayed consistent throughout Sega's Sonic franchise is that it offers consistently fun and energetic music, including songs that are enjoyed both ironically and unironically by many.
These songs include the “butt-rock” of Crush 40 and the Dreamcast era, as well as tracks from more recent games such as 2022's Sonic Frontiers. These songs reflect the relentless optimism and perseverance of the Blue Blur with the red shoes that continue to endure with fans. From its long musical history, which are some of the best Sonic the Hedgehog songs?
Endless Possibility – Sonic Unleashed
Sonic went through an awkward phase in Sonic Unleashed. Several levels in the game would have Sonic go through levels as a Werehog, which were more slowly paced than his normal style of gameplay.
Featured in Sonic Unleashed is the song "Endless Possibility," from Jaret Reddick of the band Bowling for Soup and the man behind the Phineas and Ferb theme song. This track not only refers to the werewolf powers within Sonic, but it also speaks to the endless potential and “endless possibility” present in all people to do great things in their lives.
Live and Learn – Sonic Adventure 2
The Sega Dreamcast would be the last console released by Sega. Instead of going quietly into the sunset, the Dreamcast would go down kicking and screaming with Sonic Adventure 2, a game that would introduce Sonic’s brooding double, Shadow.
Accompanying Sonic Adventure 2 would be another entry by Crush 40, "Live and Learn," about the adversity faced in life. All one can really do is “live and learn” from the past and move forward. In a way, this kind of echoes Sega, as it was coming to terms with the Dreamcast’s failure.
Open Your Heart – Sonic Adventure
A few attempts were made to bring Sonic into the 3D realm for the first time. He would finally make his polygonal debut in Sonic Adventure on the Sega Dreamcast. The Hedgehog with attitude had a fresh new look in the game, taller and a bit skinnier, along with his companions.
Crush 40’s intro song, "Open Your Heart," reflected this new attitude, accompanying a CG intro highlighting the chaos happening in the city, as Sonic and his companions rush into action. It highlights Sonic’s willingness to persevere, in spite of the odds against him.
Reach For The Stars – Sonic Colors
Sonic’s 3D games have had their peaks and valleys, so to speak, but the franchise hit a home run when Sonic Colors debuted on the Nintendo Wii in 2010. This title puts Sonic and Tails in the middle of Eggman’s Interstellar carnival and tasks the Blue Blur with rescuing super-powered aliens called Wisps. The game was popular enough to get a remaster in 2021 as Sonic Colors: Ultimate.
Sonic Colors’s intro song is "Reach for the Stars" from Jean Paul Makhlouf of Cash Cash. It is a mix of an exhilarating drum track and an uplifting techno score. The song reflects Sonic’s relentless optimism in the face of adversity and his overall attitude toward life. As Makhlouf sings, he is “gonna reach for the stars / Although They Look Pretty Far.”
Fight The Knight – Sonic And The Black Knight
The Sonic franchise took a detour on the Nintendo Wii with the Sonic Storybook Series. This era includes Sonic and the Secret Rings, which took place in the world of One Thousand And One Arabian Nights, and Sonic and the Black Knight, which sends Sonic to the kingdom of Camelot. The game also gives Sonic a sword with which to slash foes.
Sonic’s ultimate objective is to defeat the twisted King Arthur, who has been corrupted by a dark force. Crush 40’s "Fight The Knight" accompanies this boss battle, which has Sonic chasing after Arthur, who is on horseback and launching projectiles at him. It is a fittingly epic song for an epic boss battle.
Sonic Heroes – Sonic Heroes
After Sega pulled out of the console wars and went third-party, Sonic was able to grace multiple game systems at once. His first multiplatform release was Sonic Heroes, which put Sonic fans in control of three characters at once, swapping them on the fly to use their unique abilities.
"Sonic Heroes" might not be the best Sonic song, but it has a certain charm to it. The electric guitar riffs that start this song have some nineties vibes to them. It is almost impossible not to belt out that soaring chorus when it hits.
Fist Bump – Sonic Forces
2017 saw the release of Sonic Forces, which brought the Sonics of both past and present together in a world where Doctor Eggman has taken over. A custom character also joins the Sonics and the Resistance in standing against Eggman.
"Fist Bump" from Douglas Robb of Hoobastank starts playing when Sonic and the self-insert avatar do a Double Boost move, which was widely memed at the time. This high-octane track about the power of friendship is reflective of the epic wholesomeness that causes modern Sonic games to resonate with audiences today.
A New Day – Sonic Rush
While most of Sonic’s activity has been on the consoles, handheld systems got some love from the Hedgehog as well. The Nintendo DS had a trilogy of fun games, starting with Sonic Rush. This title stuck closely to the franchise’s two-dimensional roots, utilizing the dual screens as a single vertical screen for dizzying levels.
The soundtrack for Sonic Rush was composed by Hideki Naganuma, who was also behind the soundtrack of Jet Set Radio. The main theme of the game is "A New Day," which also accompanies the special bonus stages, where the stylus is used to guide Sonic along a half-pipe course. It is a mellow song that has a nice beat and is a reminder that every day is a chance to make a fresh start.