[TheKazeblade]

Essentially, what game in the series has the best musical score compositionally?

When I was thinking about this question, I realized that I came up with a surprising answer for my choice: Sonic '06. Not only is it instrumentally varied, but unlike many games in the series for me, I love every one of the main level themes. There's some that are straight up epic sounding 21st century stuff with classical and avante garde touches...

Like This

And This

And also this

And others that would have been right at home with the classics, like White Acropolis (I'd love to see a 16-bit version made of this one).

Such as this.

In your opinions, what Sonic game has the best musical score?

I lumped the main games together by era in the poll to save space/get a feel for what era most people prefer out of curiosity.

This post has been edited by TheKazeblade: 18 July 2012 - 04:11 AM

[PsychoSk8r]

I'm quite torn between the classic, dreamcast, and modern era choices.
There's been nothing I've disliked in the modern era, and I genuinely look forward to hearing more new compositions in the future.
For the dreamcast era, Crush 40's main themes, and Jun Senoue's level themes I really took a liking to.
Regarding classics, who doesn't love them?

I'd love to have modern era style for level themes, with a Crush 40 main theme/ending theme. What colours did with the 8-bit styled remixes for the Sonic Simulator was awesome, and would be a nice bonus option any time. =P

[Crash Mobile]

I was torn between the Modern and Classic eras - I love the Colors soundtrack (especially Planet Wisp, Asteroid Coaster and the final boss), but I'm also a big fan of both of Sonic CD's soundtracks. These are just my favorites though, I like pretty much any Sonic music

[Caniad Bach]

I voted for the classics, and not because of nostalgia. There's something telling that a piece of music can sound good if you hear it for 30 seconds or 10 minutes, and still sound good when you're hearing it 20 years on.

Since I haven't played 06, I don't know much about it's soundtrack apart from the shockingly awful His World and the bastardisation of Sweet Sweet Sweet, but the tracks that Thekazeblade posted are actually rather excellent.

I think my favourite Sonic track has to be this though:


Too fucking good.

[jasonchrist]

I've always been a classic head, but having acquainted myself with the post-classic music some of that is still really fucking good! Apart from the fucking awful "City Escape" music, I immensely enjoyed every single track in Generations.

[Namo]

Sonic 3D Blast, Saturn. Richard Jacques is king.

[Morph]

Hmm... That's a tough one. I can't really choose just one of those eras. So, I'll just tell you which game soundtracks I don't like.

• Knuckles Chaotix (Kind of a 50/50 thing. Some of it's OK, and some of it's kinda stupid.)
  
• Sonic Spinball - I take that back. It's kinda cool, but doesn't really say "Sonic" to me.
  
• Sonic Shuffle (Same as Chaotix. (Intro is best song <3))
  
• Sonic Rush [Adventure] (Admittedly, I haven't listened to any of it in a while. From what I can remember, it's OK, but it's not something I look forward to listening to)
  
• Sonic Riders Zero Gravity (Screw that game and its music [subject to change])
  
• Sonic 4 ... although honestly, I'd be OK with it if the instruments didn't sound like crap.

Sonic Adventure is pretty high up on the "wow, this music never ceases to be awesome" list, though.

This post has been edited by Morph: 19 July 2012 - 03:19 AM

[Joltanz Mantis]

Generations is included in the Modern Era, and it has songs from the whole series, so picking it is like picking a bit of everything.
I still chose it though. For Unleashed mostly.

[saxman]

I can't even vote. The music between these is completely different. We're basically comparing 16-bit melodic music with digital audio rock music, among other things.

[Metalsonicmk72]

Morph, on 18 July 2012 - 07:42 AM, said:

Hmm... That's a tough one. I can't really choose just one of those eras.

I'm more or less going to have to second that thought. Each of the eras seem to have something that makes them stand out from each other. The classic tunes don't need much of an explanation because most members of Retro would probably consider them all to be pretty awesome (until you debate Sonic CD's two soundtracks that is). The Post-Classic Era has Richard Jacques' amazing Sonic 3D Blast Saturn/PC soundtrack. The Dreamcast Era has Sonic Adventure's "Jazzy" Atmosphere going for it in the soundtrack that hasn't been seen too often since. The Post-DC Era was really more or less like the style used in SA2 up until Shadow came out. Sonic '06 seems to be when the musical direction started to change for the main series towards more orchestrated pieces like many of the modern tunes seem to be.

I'm going to have to say that like Morph I can't really choose what era's soundtracks I like the most, but I can mention the one soundtrack in the entire franchise that I absolutely cannot stand. The title for "Most Annoying Sonic Soundtrack" goes to Sonic Rush. This one is a serious dose of ear rape to me. I'm not a fan of the hip-hop genre that seems to influence the tracks and this game is no exception. Maybe if there were instrumental versions of the tracks so I could hear how they stand without the repetitive lyrics I'd change my mind. One could argue that the Sonic 4 (both episodes) tunes are the worst, but I don't mind a handful of the them, they just need better instruments.

On the note of musical scores, I'd like to mention that what I would like to see more of are instrumental versions of the vocal songs in the franchise. I'm not referring to "orchestrated final boss" type instrumental, but something like the instrumental tracks from the SA2 Vocal Album, which by the way makes me sad how a handful of those tracks still have some vocals in them. The Sonic & The Black Knight Vocal Album did a nice job providing instrumental tracks that remove the vocals without major changes to the compositions, allowing the instruments a chance to shine and stand out from the vocals.

This post has been edited by Metalsonicmk72: 18 July 2012 - 09:08 AM

[Falk]

This thread is just about as stupid as 'which sonic game is the best'.

[BlueAuraEX]

I chose the classics, for two main reasons: I'm the most familiar with it, and also, the tracks were just the most memorable to me. I still remember buying Sonic Mega Collection on Gamecube for the first time, being able to hear these chiptunes in their most cleanest form yet at the time (besides Sonic Jam, which came quite a few years before that, but I digress). I also remember purchasing Sonic Gems Collection for Gamecube, and hearing the amazing musical tracks of Sonic CD, Sonic The Fighters, and Sonic R (along with some rather tasty Vectorman 1&2 tracks). The most notable of all these of course, was Sonic CD. The music, while nowhere near as successful as the overseas tracks (which I didn't even know existed at the time!), were still catchy as hell, and I enjoyed the ever-living crap out of it.

Granted, Sonic CD isn't my favorite Sonic game by far (that little spot belongs to Sonic 2 still. Sorry SEGA, Sonic Colors didn't win me over that easilly, regardless of it's music rivalling Sonic 2's), but if there's one thing about that game I'll always agree with someone on, it's how good the soundtrack was. I purchased Christian Whitehead's version of Sonic CD on Xbox Live a few months back, and I'll admit, listening to the overseas tracks felt much more natural to me, but at the same time? After playing the US edition, I just felt like the music was replaced (can't be helped I'm afraid). I suppose it all depends on where you live though. Say if I lived in Japan? I'd be the exact opposite right now! (On a small side-note, one thing I DID love about Whitehead's Sonic CD the MOST, was that it had the Sonic 2 Spindash, and the ability to play as Tails. F*** YEAH!)

As for the more modern titles? Listen, I've downloaded TONS of Sonic music into my computer. I have so many Sonic soundtracks, and songs, it's not even funny. I'm a Sonic music floozy: You give me a Sonic track? I'll most likely know it by heart. That's how obsessed with Sonic's music I am. Call me weird and odd for that, but it's the truth. XD Anyways! Just know this: I picked the classics, but in the end, ALL Sonic music is amazing....(except for that Modern City Escape track in Sonic Generations. Jesus Christ, what the hell WAS that?!)

[Shadix]

As much as I love Sonic Adventure's soundtrack, I have to say Sonic Unleashed takes the cake for best score. The soundtracks seamlessly blends between so many different styles and the mix is of absolutely LUSH audiophile quality. Unleashed was also unique in that all the cutscene scores, and side songs had just as much work put into them than the levels themselves.

Colors had alot of great tracks too.

And gosh, you can't really compare the eras either. :| Sonic has always had great music. If it was classic era I'd have to say Sonic 3.

This post has been edited by Shadix: 18 July 2012 - 11:40 AM

[Bright Spark]

For me, Classic and Modern are both sharing the #1 spot.
The classic melodies are memorable and have, in 3K at least, shown what the Genesis was capable of sound-wise. Sonic CD's score is also very good and Stardust Speedway's japanese Bad Future tune is my favourite sonic tune ever.
The modern era is almost as memorable, just that there is now hardware limitation anymore and goes towards the same general direction of "Movie-esque music" that we had 20 years ago.
I'm not saying that all the other music we had inbetween was bad, just that those two eras stand out music-wise IMO.

But maybe that's just the inner fanboy speaking that came when he heard Modern Chemical Plant for the first time.

[Dr. Ed]

Going with classic. At first I voted for modern, but then I remembered that there have been some misses in the modern era music where the classic era was virtually flawless.