I have always loved listening to movie music. In fact, my Spotify Wrapped is always overtaken by artists like Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, Lorne Balfe and Ludwig Goronsson. After watching a new movie, I'm in the habit of logging onto Spotify and adding my favourite tracks. I've even been to see a couple of live orchestra performances of my favourites, which were amazing experiences.
I thought it might be fun to collate a roughly ranked list of 100 of my favourite scores as of January 2023. A couple of disclaimers: This won't be according to 'most iconic' because I'm sure dozens of those lists already exist, so if you're wondering why Psycho, The Godfather or Jaws isn't on here, it's not because I don't love those soundtracks (I do), it's just that I don't listen to them much outside of the films. This is very much a list of the music I personally love to listen to. I have also limited it to 1 track per movie, television show or video game.
With that said, here is Part 3 of 5 of my list. I'll link each Youtube track but you can also find my full Spotify playlist including many, many more tracks here!
60) Mr Moustafa - The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
by Alexandre Desplat
If you look up the definition of 'twee', you'll find a poster for The Grand Budapest Hotel. It's a perfect concoction (L'Air De Panache?) of Wes Anderson's style and Alexandre Desplat's music is a brilliant complement to the pristine, beautiful visuals.
59) Brooks Was Here - The Shawshank Redemption (1993)
by Thomas Newman
The scene in The Shawshank Redemption which follows prisoner Brooks' experience outside of the prison he has known for most of his life is one of cinema's most quietly devastating sequences. Just hearing Newman's score brings to mind actor James Whitmore's heart-breaking voice over and is enough to make you tear up.
Honourable mentions: New Fish, Zihuantanejo, Lovely Racquel, So Was Red
58) Central Park - King Kong (2005)
by James Newton Howard
It feels odd to say that a King Kong movie has one of the most gentle and innocently joyful scores on the list, but it's true. Peter Jackson's remake of the 1930's classic is grand and operatic, but also takes its time for some beautiful moments of connection. At its heart, King Kong is a tragedy, and Howard's score captures that quality and then some.
57) Yoda's Theme- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
by John Williams
In truth, I would need another list to capture just how many iconic pieces of music John Williams composed for Star Wars. My favourite from The Empire Strikes Back is Yoda's Theme, a piece that leans more towards the fantasy than sci-fi quality of the franchise and accompanies one of the most magical moments in the franchise, where Yoda lifts Luke's X-Wing out of the swamp.
56) The Kraken- The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
by Hans Zimmer
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is full of fantastic scores so I might be slightly biased in picking 'The Kraken' to be the one to go on this list, but hearing it performed by a live orchestra last year was absolutely incredible.
Honourable mentions: He's a Pirate, Medallion, Up is Down, One Day
55) Rue’s Farewell - The Hunger Games (2011)
by James Newton Howard
The Hunger Games often gets unfairly lumped into the teenage love story bucket, but it was a genuinely well-made blockbuster franchise for teens and young adults. The most heart-breaking scene of the franchise comes when young Rue is killed. Howard's music is devastating but also has a power that marks the beginning of the rebellion against the Capitol.
Honourable mentions: Katniss Afoot, The Train, Horn of Plenty, Healing Katniss, Tenuous Winners/Returning Home
54) The Car Theme - This is Us (2016-2022)
by Siddhartha Khosla
This Is Us is one of the best long-form stories about family ever made. The way in which different eras of the Pearson family's life are captured and interwoven is incredibly touching, and Siddhartha Khosla's score for the entire show is consistently moving. 'The Car Theme' plays in the wake of a major death that acts as a lynchpin for the entire show.
Honourable mentions: It Still Is, Jack's Theme, Sons, The Mural, Hope
53) Escape 700 - Hanna (2011)
by the Chemical Brothers
There's an alternate universe where this movie was incredibly popular and Saoirse Ronan became the new action actress of our times (what can't she do??). The escape sequence from Joe Wright's Hanna is one of my all time favourite action sequences and that's completely down to this incredible piece of music.
52) Gap - X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
by Hans Zimmer
X-Men: Dark Phoenix was certainly... a movie. It may not have fully captured the cosmic drama of the Dark Phoenix storyline from the comics, but Hans Zimmer's music certainly did. 'Gap' is one of the most thrilling pieces of music to come out of a superhero movie.
Honourable mentions: Coda, Dark, Reckless
51) The Game Has Changed - Tron Legacy (2010)
by Daft Punk
Tron: Legacy is worth watching simply for its visuals and score alone. I mean, *the* Daft Punk did the music for this film. Every track on this album kills it and I only wish this isn't the end for the band's foray into movie music.
Honourable mentions: Rinzler, End of Line, Outlands, The Son of Flynn, Disc Wars, Flynn Lives
50) Supermarine - Dunkirk (2017)
by Hans Zimmer,
Watching Dunkirk in the cinema is one of my most memorable theatrical experiences. The way Hans Zimmer's music constantly ramps up tension as we cut between the three different story threads is superb. A nail-bitingly intense score.
Honourable mentions: The Oil, Variation 15, Shivering Soldier
49) Dawn - Pride and Prejudice (2005)
by Dario Marianelli, Jean-Yves Thibaudet
One of my favourite elements of Dario Marianelli's music for 2005's Pride and Prejudice is that it feels part of the story. We even see Elizabeth playing the main theme on the piano in one scene in Lady Catherine's house. A pitch perfect adaptation of one of my favourite novels with a stunning score.
Honourable mentions: Stars and Butterfilies, Leaving Netherfield, A Postcard to Henry Purcell, Liz On Top of the World, The Secret Life of Daydreams
48) Portals - Avengers: Endgame (2019)
by Alan Silvestri
Avengers: Endgame was an unforgettable time to be a Marvel fan. The final battle saw Captain America standing alone against Thanos' army only to be joined by the heroes that had been snapped away in the previous movie. This was hugely exciting to see for the first time, and Alan Silvestri somehow manages to make his original Avengers theme that much more epic.
47) Duel of the Fates - The Phantom Menace (1999)
by John Williams
I never grew up with the Star Wars prequels, and so don't have much nostalgia for them and yet hearing this theme in any iteration is always incredibly impactful. I've been lucky enough to hear it performed live a couple of times and, between the choral section and the horns, it is a brilliant action-based piece.
46) The Belt of Faith - Parasite (2019)
by Jung Jaeil
One of the most perfect montages I have ever seen in a film. This video essay by Nerdwriter1 breaks down just how ingeniously Bong Joon Ho constructs the sequence. Despite the masterful editing, acting, directing and writing, it is still Jung Jaeil's classical score that beautifully ties it all together. It's unbelievable how the film- and the score- manages to flit between comedy, tragedy and suspense.
45) Rey’s Theme - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
by John Williams
'Rey's Theme' accompanies one of my favourite introductions for a protagonist in any blockbuster movie. Daisy Ridley made an instant impression as a mysterious girl stranded on the planet Jakku and Williams' theme for Rey manages to effortlessly capture her resilience and loneliness within a few minutes.
Honourable mentions: The Scavenger, Kylo Ren Arrives At The Battle, March of the Resistance, The Ways of the Force, Farewell and the Trip, The Jedi Steps and Finale
44) Define Dancing - WALL E (2008)
by Thomas Newman
One of my favourite animated sequences from Pixar is when WALL E and EVE are dancing in space. A pair of robots manage to actually experience the beauty of humanity while the human Captain discovers it through a computer. I love how Newman's music constantly captures WALL E's wonder throughout the film.
Honourable mentions: EVE, First Date, All That Love's About
43) Is She With You? - Batman vs Superman (2016)
by Hans Zimmer, Junkie XL
Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL's theme for Wonder Woman is one of my favourite superhero themes. Badass in every way, I will never tire of hearing it. Gal Gadot may not have had much screentime in 2016's Batman v Superman, but her bursting onto the screen accompanied by this music was unforgettable.
Honourable mentions: Beautiful Lie, Fight Night, Day of the Dead
42) Main Theme - Succession (2018-)
by Nicholas Britell
My favourite description of Succession's music comes from Nicholas Britell himself. When composing the music, he said “I wanted to explore the idea of ‘If the Roy family could imagine their own music, what music would that be?". Classical and operatic and larger than life, but with a modern edge, Britell's main theme for Succession is instantly iconic and one of the best main titles ever.
41) The Council of Elrond - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
by Howard Shore
Howard Shore's work on The Lord of the Rings is undoubtedly magnificent. Movie music doesn't get better than this. There are dozens of themes for different locations and characters that stand out, so picking just one is near impossible. However, 'The Council of Elrond' from The Fellowship of the Ring is one of my favourites, a blend between the motif for the Elves and the Fellowship theme.
Thank you for reading this article- you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram to find out when I post Part 4. Let me know what your favourite movie scores are!
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