Michael Nielsen is a composer and music producer for film, television, video games, records, and advertising. He has scored major game franchises like Forza Motorsport, League of Legends, and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. His work on Splinter Cell: Conviction, recorded with the Hollywood Studio Symphony, was one of the highest-grossing video game soundtracks of its time. Michael has also contributed scores to titles like Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters and Activision’s Battleship, as well as League of Legends projects, including Spirit Guard Udyr and the "Road to the Cup" Championship.
As co-owner and principal composer at Ninja Tracks, Michael has shaped the sound of hundreds of advertising campaigns for blockbuster films such as The Mandalorian, Mad Max, John Wick, and Fast & Furious, while also scoring commercials for top brands like Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, NBC, and Disney.
Michael co-wrote and produced Selena Gomez's hit single "Tell Me Something I Don’t Know," which has surpassed a million sales and nearly 2 billion streams.
His songwriting and production credits extend to films like Another Cinderella Story, American Pie III, Scooby-Doo, and Blue Crush. He also co-scored Marvel's Wolverine and the X-Men animated series, which set record ratings for Nicktoons.
His diverse collaborations include working with iconic artists like James Brown, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins, The Pussycat Dolls, and Lenny Kravitz. Michael produced Philip Sayce’s blues/rock album "Peace Machine," a best-seller on the blues charts, and earned an RIAA Gold Record for his work on Disneymania, which spent over a year on the charts.
In addition to composing, Michael hosts a YouTube show, Big Hairy Guitars, where he collaborates with leading instrument companies and shares his passion for guitar, mixing, and mastering. He also runs Big Hairy Sounds, a sound design company specializing in guitar tones, impulse responses, and software presets.
A UCLA graduate, Michael resides in Los Angeles, where he remains a passionate Dodgers fan.
