SEGA’s use of Live & Learn in a newly released video celebrating 35 years of Sonic the Hedgehog is raising eyebrows, and for good reason. For years, the song’s legal status has been uncertain, but its sudden return in official anniversary material may signal that the issue has quietly been settled.
The track, inseparably linked to Sonic Adventure 2, appeared in a recent anniversary video published by SEGA. Its inclusion immediately caught the attention of longtime fans, especially given past comments from vocalist Johnny Gioeli, who previously described the song as stuck in an “abyss of ownership.”
Shortly after the video went live, Gioeli responded to a fan asking about the song’s status, simply saying that “all is good.” While brief, the response stands out as a clear shift from his earlier statements, where he consistently stressed that ownership of Live & Learn remained unresolved despite its cultural importance to Sonic.
The context matters. Last year, Gioeli lost a breach-of-contract lawsuit against SEGA, a decision that significantly weakened his legal position. Even after that ruling, he maintained that the song was still caught in legal uncertainty, casting doubt on whether SEGA could freely use it in future projects.
Against that backdrop, SEGA’s choice to feature a remix of Live & Learn in official 35th anniversary content is notable. It strongly suggests that the company now considers the matter resolved, or at least clear enough to confidently use the song again in public-facing material.
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