Crush 40 is suing SEGA over iconic Sonic Adventure 2 song
Crush 40 is known for their involvement in composing iconic and beloved vocal soundtracks for the Sonic franchise--especially so for Sonic Adventure 2. However, according to a recent legal filing, it looks like Sega of America has potentially missed out on paying royalties to Crush 40 for using their music. The lead vocalist of the band, Jonny Gioeli, is taking Sega to court, seeking compensation and to definitively rule who has ownership over Sonic Adventure 2's title song, Live and Learn.
Gioeli claims that he created the song in 2001, arranging, performing, recording, and producing it, in accordance to a contract he signed with Sega. Since then, Sega has used the song in countless events, spinoff games, and other media, including the upcoming release of the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He owns the copyright to the song, as well as the master recording of it, and has even kept up the song's registration with a music licensing agency. The dispute stems from Sega using the song without ever having paid out the licensing costs to Gioeli, which he hopes to be compensated for.
In an interview with Polygon, Gioeli stated, “I have no comment other than my desire to maintain the preservation of a long standing beautiful relationship with Sega. I do not want fans to draw conclusions or be disrupted from the beautiful memories we have made collectively with this music. I believe and hope we will come to a peaceful settlement that will be fair and just.”
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