The other reason is definitely the more infamous one: at the same time as he was allegedly composing the soundtrack, Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old child. This is apparently one of the two major reasons why Jackson isn’t credited, as he was unhappy with how the songs sounded once it was processed and in-game. The team originally wrote the music as “high-profile” tracks that needed to be compressed to fit on the cartridge alongside all the other game assets. The short version if it is that despite Sega having always denied his involvement, three of the six credited composers on the game - Brad Buxer, Bobby Brooks, and Doug Grigsby III - all say that Jackson worked closely with the team to compose the soundtrack. It’s an incredibly long but interesting feature that I heavily recommend you go and read. Many of the songs in the game sound remarkably similar to some of Jackson’s: just compare Carnival Night Zone and “ Jam,” or the end credits theme and “ Stranger in Moscow,” and you can hear some distinct Jackson influence.Īlmost 23 years after the game’s release, the Huffington Post claims it now has definite confirmation that Jackson’s music is in the game, as well as the reasons as to why he wasn’t credited. For years now, it’s been rumoured that Michael Jackson at least partially wrote the soundtrack for Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

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