Beyond the Game: How SEGA SOUND TEAM Is Shaping the Future of Game Music
Categoria: Musica
Billboard JAPAN talked to Tomoya Ohtani, who leads SEGA SOUND TEAM, and to Ryo Kinoshita and Go Iwasaki, responsible for music licensing.
Por Billboard | 19/05/2026
Japanese game music has gone beyond the confines of simply being the soundtracks to games. It is evolving into a massive genre of content that permeates the lives of listeners around the world. In the last installment of this special feature, Billboard Japan interviewed NexTone and talked about Game Music Academy, their new digital distribution business. This latest feature focuses on the SEGA SOUND TEAM. The music helmed by Sega sound producer Tomoya Ohtani has reached stunning streaming numbers, primarily in North America, and Ohtani’s presence rivals some of Japan’s top artists. The team is also behind Serani Poji, which has had several huge viral hits, and the music from the Sonic game series, which is drawing renewed attention due to the Sonic movies. The team’s influence seems almost limitless. SEGA is using its massive library, which extends over a quarter of a century, as a collection of modern digital assets and passing it on to the next generation. Billboard JAPAN talked to Tomoya Ohtani, who leads SEGA SOUND TEAM, and to Ryo Kinoshita and Go Iwasaki, who are responsible for music licensing, about the team’s strategies and their passion for music production. Mr. Ohtani, even from North American music streaming data, it’s clear that the music you’ve created has seen a huge number of plays over, and maintained its popularity for years. It’s become a part of the everyday lives of listeners. How does that make you feel? Tomoya Ohtani: Honestly, I still find it surprising. I didn’t release almost any music last year, but the Sonic Frontiers soundtrack, from the 2022 hit, has consistently kept a solid number of plays, so I’m seeing my name surrounded by artists on the frontlines of J-Pop. I’ve sometimes wondered if I kept coming out with huge hits each year if I could climb even higher in the charts. Did SEGA SOUND TEAM set its sights on the global stage from early on? Ohtani: The first Sonic title I worked on was Sonic Adventure 2, in 2001. Even before that, my senior colleagues in the consumer sound segment were creating music with a global mindset. The first time I recorded overseas, I went to New York to record a rap segment. It was the first time I’d gone on a business trip after joining the company, but we all met up at the destination (laughs). Partly because of the way the titles I worked on were used, at the time, our mentality wasn’t one of going step by step, starting by making a hit in Japan and then expanding to overseas markets. Even now, over two decades later, our stance is still the same, so it’s surprising that we’ve produced such huge results. Sonic’s music is well-known even among people who don’t play the games. The Sonic sound has an identity that’s loved around the world. Where do you think that identity comes from? Ohtani: I listen to a lot of Western music, and have throughout my musical journey, so I think that’s had some influence on the Sonic sound. But I don’t really try to make the music sound Western. I try to k