Sonic Soundtrack Showdown: Musician Takes Sega to Court Over Song Rights
Crush 40’s Johnny Gioeli seeks compensation for the usage of the primary theme ‘Live & Learn’ outside of the 2001 game
Sega of America is facing legal action from one of its long-time musical collaborators: Johnny Gioeli, a vocalist in the rock group Crush 40.
Game Developer has reported that Gioeli is filing a lawsuit against the company over its utilization of the track ‘Live & Learn,’ which serves as the main theme for the 2001 Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure 2.
Gioeli asserts ownership of the song, claiming that he independently wrote, recorded, and produced it at home without any input from Sega. He even asserts that he possesses the original master recording.
While this song is primarily recognized for its role in Sonic Adventure 2, it has also been featured in numerous Super Smash Bros games where Sonic is a playable character, in addition to Sega’s Yakuza series and Capcom’s Monster Hunter Rise.
Gioeli is pursuing financial reparations, alleging that the use of the track beyond the original game violates his agreement with Sony, while also requesting the court to “conclusively