The Musical Inspiration of Streets of Rage

The Streets of Rage series is undeniably a cornerstone of classic 1990s beat ‘em up games like Double Dragon, Final Fight, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and plenty more. However, what truly elevates Sega’s 16-bit brawler to legendary status is its groundbreaking soundtrack, composed by the legendary Yuzo Koshiro. The music of the first two Streets of Rage games stands as a testament to the artistic possibilities of the Sega Genesis, and it remains beloved by fans to this day.

When Yuzo was tasked with composing the soundtrack to Streets of Rage, it coincided with his first trip to Los Angeles. Here, he experienced the wave of popular music that was dominating the U.S. club scene and making its way into homes via radio and MTV. His goal for this urban street-fighting game's soundtrack was to fuse the sounds of house music, techno, and hip-hop into a contemporary reflection of popular music through the lens of the Genesis. Fortunately, Sega embraced his vision, and the rest is history!

If you have listened to the episode of barSILENCE about the music of Streets of Rage 2, you might already know that I’ve mentioned some of popular early 90s music that might have been an inspiration to Yuzo Koshiro’s masterpiece on the Genesis.

So, let’s take a walk down this Street of Rage through a few tracks from the game and their real-world counterparts, and I'll let you decide for yourself who inspired whom!

The Street of Rage

Yuzo himself has mentioned that people think this song sounds like Soul II Soul’s 1990 track "Get a Life" and Enigma’s 1990 track "Sadeness Part 1." In an interview with Red Bull Music Academy, he explained that they share a feature called a Ground Beat, which was fresh at the time and had a subtle swing beat. Listen for yourself:

Soul II Soul’s Get A Life:

Enigma - Sadeness Part 1:

Fighting In The Street

It's hard not to notice the direct similarities between "Fighting in the Street" and Technotronic's 1989 hit "Pump Up The Jam." This song was a huge hit, and whether or not it directly inspired this Stage 1 banger is up to you and Yuzo to decide.

Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam:

Keep The Groovin

Black Box’s 1990 hit "Open Your Eyes" is a sweet jam that’s just a touch slower than Yuzo Koshiro's track. The grooving bass in Black Box’s song is complemented by a soaring string moment that meshes fantastically with "Keep the Groovin’s" 16-bit kindred sound.

Black Box - Open Your Eyes:

Go Straight

"Go Straight" is arguably one of the most iconic songs from Streets of Rage 2. Its seriously cool lead synths bounce through your mind and get you moving. There are two tracks with a strikingly similar lead: the 1989 hit "Move Your Feet to the Rhythm of the Beat" by Hit House, and 1992's "Do You Wanna Party" by Bass Value. It also shares some similarities with 1989's "I Like It" by Landlord.

Hit House - Move Your Feet To The Rhythm of the Beat:

Bass Value - Do You Wanna Party:

Landlord - I Like It:

Under Logic

The twinkly synths in this song create a wickedly great sound, and the main melody features an absolutely soaring lead. This danceable track has quickly become a top favorite for many. In 1991, the Scottish group Shamen released a fantastic track called "Move Any Mountain", which shares a lot in common with "Under Logic."

Shamen - Move Any Mountain

The legacy of Koshiro's work on Streets of Rage continues to influence modern game music. His pioneering use of electronic genres has inspired countless composers and remains a critical benchmark for video game soundtracks. To many, these soundtracks stand on their own as a time capsule of inspired and inspirational music, perfectly capturing the essence of early 1990s musical trends.

If you like these tunes, then I encourage you to check out the episode of barSILENCE about the music of the first two games in the Streets of Rage series. Then follow the show and stay tuned for more of the very best video game music each and every month.