Top 10 Film Scores

We all have iconic film scores that stick with us throughout our lives. When we think of franchises such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, or The Lord of the Rings, their respective themes instantly begin to loop in our minds. In honor of National Film Score Day, it is time to honor and reflect on some of cinema history’s greatest film scores.

Compiled in this list are film scores representing various genres and decades. This particular ranking of mine changes frequently, so take the order with a grain of salt (except for my number 1, which is definitive), as it is based on personal preference. If a movie series is mentioned in the list, each film in the franchise collectively constitutes the entry. Before the top 10, here are some honorable mentions:

Braveheart (1995) composed by James Horner
Eternals (2021) composed by Ramin Djawadi
Interstellar (2014) composed by Hans Zimmer
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) composed by Howard Shore
Pride & Prejudice (2005) composed by Dario Marianelli

10. The Fountain (2006) composed by Clint Mansell and Kronos Quartet

The Fountain divides movie buffs and may be unfamiliar to casual viewers, but Clint Mansell’s score featuring Kronos Quartet is truly special. It distinctly captures the atmosphere and emotion of this film and essentially feels like a supporting character in the already gripping story. The philosophical exploration of themes such as death, spirituality, and guilt will temporarily leave people in a head trip, but listening to Mansell’s powerful and deeply moving score at any time will allow anybody to relive the experience of watching The Fountain.

Notable tracks:
- Death Is the Road to Awe
- The Last Man
- Together We Will Live Forever

9. La La Land (2016) composed by Justin Hurwitz

With only a couple of film composer credits under his belt before 2016, Justin Hurwitz’s La La Land score did not only make this list, but it immediately became wildly acclaimed (Hurwitz even won an Oscar). Hurwitz’s score is absolutely magical and wonderfully encapsulates the dreamlike essence of the story at hand. From graceful piano tracks to upbeat jazz to melodious orchestral suites, La La Land is a beautifully diverse musical masterpiece that will walk you through a complete and unforgettable emotional journey.

Notable tracks:
- Epilogue
- Mia & Sebastian’s Theme
- Summer Montage / Madeline

8. Harry Potter Series (2001-2011) composed by John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat

The Harry Potter series has become a pop-culture staple over recent decades, and its music has played a massive role in that prominence. Just by the first two notes in John Williams’s “Prologue” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the theme is instantly recognizable. As audiences, we can thank John Williams for creating the iconic melodies we associate with the Harry Potter franchise, but each composer that followed him brought their personality to the series while maintaining the spirit of Williams’s work. Each score naturally and progressively becomes more mysterious with every story but always manages to preserve the heart of Harry Potter.

Notable tracks:
- Harry & Hermoine - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Nicholas Hooper)
- Obliviate - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (Alexandre Desplat)
- A Window to the Past - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (John Williams)

7. Phantom Thread (2017) composed by Jonny Greenwood

Who would have thought the guitarist of Radiohead could write such an amazing score? It comes without surprise that Jonny Greenwood is a talented musician, and his Phantom Thread score demonstrates that more than anything else. His ability to combine surreal tension with enrapturing elegance is unlike anybody else in the business. Phantom Thread tells a remarkably bizarre romance story, and Greenwood’s score certainly manifests that same eccentricity through dissonance, but that does not mean it is not easy to be utterly captivated by its unique beauty.

Notable tracks:
- Alma
- House of Woodcock
- Phantom Thread III

6. Man of Steel (2013) composed by Hans Zimmer

Man of Steel is yet another divisive film to crack this list, especially amongst the comic-book movie fandom, but it features the greatest comic-book movie score of all time. John Williams’s forever celebrated 1978 Superman score was already extremely memorable, but Hans Zimmer was given the daunting task to follow it. Somehow, Zimmer managed to do the impossible and top Williams’s Superman score with his greatest composition to date. Zimmer’s music is incredibly effective in expressing the power of Superman through rumbling percussion and the emotion of Clark Kent through its soaring orchestral melodies. Man of Steel is one of the few comic-book movies to contain a score capable of sending chills down spines, and it genuinely did not need to be this awesome.

Notable tracks:
- Launch
- Terraforming
- What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?

5. Little Women (2019) composed by Alexandre Desplat

As a period piece set in the late 1860s New England displayed in the modern-day, Alexandre Desplat did exactly what he needed to do with his Little Women score. His sophisticated composition of an entirely listenable anachronistically disguised contemporary classical soundtrack is an astounding musical achievement that was snubbed for an Oscar at the 92nd Academy Awards. Desplat’s perfect combination of orchestral instruments creates a sound that wonderfully enhances this story and contains such a soothing presence that it makes for ideal background listening.

Notable tracks:
- The Book
- Dance on the Porch
- It’s Romance

4. How to Train Your Dragon Trilogy (2010-2019) composed by John Powell

While there have been some phenomenal scores in the animation realm of film, John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon music greatly stands out amongst them all. This Celtic-styled arrangement instantaneously sets the tone of this world from the opening with the track “This is Berk” and never lets go of it. Powell wrote and conducted a score so compelling that it will evoke tears in the most sentimental moments of this fantastic trilogy. As somebody who saw the original How to Train Your Dragon in theaters at 10 years old, I will never forget the heartwarming impact the story and Powell’s score had on me.

Notable tracks:
- Coming Back Around - How to Train Your Dragon
- Romantic Flight - How to Train Your Dragon
- Stoick’s Ship - How to Train Your Dragon 2

3. Star Wars (“The Skywalker Saga” - 1977-2019) composed by John Williams

How could Star Wars not make this list? It arguably has the most iconic themes in film history! Tracks such as “The Imperial March” and “Duel of the Fates” can be universally identified in a heartbeat. John Williams distinguishes the aura of each character and setting flawlessly through songs ranging from ominous to joyful moods. Without Williams’s Star Wars music, the franchise would not be what it has become today because it is the triumphant melody of “Main Title” that attracts fans from the beginning of the opening crawl. Williams did not only contribute to the legacy of Star Wars with his classic score, but he inspired many film composers that followed in his footsteps that we know and love today to create catchy themes for other films.

Notable tracks:
- Battle of the Heroes - Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
- Yoda’s Theme - Stars Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
- Rey’s Theme - Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens

2. Titanic (1997) composed by James Horner

The most worthy film winning “Best Original Score” in the Academy Awards history is Titanic. The late James Horner crafted breathtaking music that has remained in the popular culture consciousness since Titanic dominated the box office, theaters, and Oscars in the late 1990s. The delicate choral and wind instrument arrangements combined with the supporting orchestra’s bittersweet melodies collectively make this Celtic-inspired score draw audiences into this heartbreaking fictional account of a true tragic historical event.

Notable tracks:
- Distant Memories
- Never an Absolution
- Rose

1. Edward Scissorhands (1990) composed by Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman’s Edward Scissorhands composition is a true masterpiece, and it is the most strangely beautiful score ever put to film. Elfman has such a unique style that is quintessentially showcased in this movie. Through the incorporation of instruments such as a celesta, Elfman’s music is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, which sonically complements Tim Burton’s gothic fantasy love story set during Christmas. The lovely instrumentation and melodies in this music are utterly majestic and enchanting, and, frankly, there is nothing like Danny Elfman’s Edward Scissorhands score.