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 Ludwigg 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 4 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!
40) The Deathly Hallows - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows P1 (2010)
by Alexandre Desplat
Alexandre Desplat had a tall order stepping into composer duties for the final two Harry Potter films, following in the footsteps of John Williams, Patrick Doyle and Nicholas Hooper. The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is full of brilliant scores, less bombastic and playful than what came before, but darker and less hopeful.
Honourable mentions: Obliviate, Ministry of Magic, The Locket, Ron's Speech, Farewell to Dobby
39) Buckbeak's Flight - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
by John Williams
Another Potter score, and my favourite amongst John Williams' iconic work in the franchise (and aptly belonging to the best film in the franchise). This will come up in a later entry, but I love music that captures the thrill of flight, and 'Buckbeak's Flight' does that beautifully while threading in the main theme of the film.
Honourable mentions: Lumos!, Aunt Marge's Waltz, A Window to the Past, Secrets of the Castle, Hagrid the Professor, Forward to Time Past
38) Can't Fight City Halloween - The Batman (2022)
by Michael Giacchino
Another recent addition to the playlist, Michael Giacchino delivers a reliably incredible score for the latest iteration of DC's caped crusader. The music is moody, bombastic and mysterious. 'Can't Fight City Halloween' accompanies the movie's film noir introduction, paired with Robert Pattinson's voice-over ("Two years of nights have turned me into a nocturnal animal...") - a microcosm of everything the character represents.
Honourable mentions: It's Raining Vengeance, Funeral and Far Between, Riddles Riddles Everywhere, For All Your Pennyworth, The Batman, Catwoman
37) First Snow - The Fountain (2006)
by Clint Mansell
One of the most stunning - and underrated- scores on this list. The Fountain is a strange, abstract, thought-provoking film with great performances by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, but its Clint Mansell's ethereal score that is the stand-out feature for me.
Honourable mentions: Death is the Road to Awe, Death is a Disease, The Last Man
36) Milton’s Theme - What Remains of Edith Finch (2017)
by Jeff Russo and Joel Corelitz
What Remains of Edith Finch is a brilliant demonstration of what modern videogames can accomplish. Told in the style of an interactive walking simulator, the story follows the legacy of the Finch family in a collection of short stories about their various deaths. Russo's music lends the game so much atmosphere, making it feel like a melancholy novel. My only critique of the track, 'Milton's Theme', named for Edith's brother who vanished one day, is that it isn't longer!
Honourable mentions: Edith's Theme, Lewis' Coronation, The End
35) The Letter That Never Came - A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
by Thomas Newman
I would have loved to see a follow up to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, an adaptation of my favourite childhood book series. Still, the ending to the film, which sees the Baudelaire's reading a letter from their late parents, is a satisfying ending. Thomas Newman's music perfectly balances the signature blend of melancholy and resilience that the series is known for.
Honourable mentions: In Loco Parentis, Resilience, Lachrymose Ferry, Cold as Ike, A Woeful Wedding
34) One Summer's Day - Spirited Away (2001)
by Joe Hisaishi
Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, Spirited Away, has been praised for its iconic, unique visuals, but Joe Hisaishi's beautiful score shouldn't go unappreciated. His music is so effortlessly nostalgic and magical. 'One Summer's Day' is one of the most beautiful film scores ever.
Honourable mentions: The Dragon Boy, The Sixth Station, Day of the River
33) Harry and Hermione - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2006)
by Nicholas Hooper
Nicholas Hooper's music might be my favourite part of the The Half-Blood Prince. 'Harry and Hermione' is one of the more gentle and bittersweet pieces, feeling almost like a lullaby.
Honourable mentions: Ginny, Living Death, The Book, Slughorn's Confession, Dumbledore's Farewell, The Friends
32) Sailing Into Dawn - The Rings of Power
by Bear McCreary
Another recent addition, and one of my favourite television scores in years. I couldn't pick between the half a dozen brilliant motifs that Bear interweaves through this series, so I bent the rules a little and picked this track that combines both the Numenor and Galadriel themes. Both are utterly sweeping, magical and powerful.
Honourable mentions: Galadriel, Numenor, The Stranger, Khazad-dum, In the Beginning, The Boat
31) Arrival at Aslan's How - Prince Caspian (2008)
by Harry Gregson-Williams
The Narnia films hold so much nostalgia for me. They were perfect gateway to fantasy, but even now, their stellar production design and score holds up remarkably well compared to children's films of today. 'Arrival at Aslan's How' makes me nostalgic for an era we never even see (I would watch an entire prequel about the 'golden' era of Narnia, when the Pevensies ruled as Kings and Queens.)
Honourable mentions: Raid on the Castle, Prince Caspian Flees, Kings and Queens of Old, Battle at Aslan's How
30) Severus and Lily - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)
by Alexandre Desplat
Perhaps the most anticipated scene to be adapted in The Deathly Hallows Part 2 was the reveal of Severus Snape's most guarded secret. There's a lot of exposition to get through in the montage, especially for those unfamiliar with the books, but Desplat's moving score means that the emotion is never lost from it.
Honourable mentions: Statues, Courtyard Apocalypse, The Resurrection Stone, Voldemort's End
29) Magneto - X-Men: First Class (2011)
by Henry Jackman
Magneto's theme might be my favourite comic-book antagonist theme. It plays throughout the film in various iterations, my favourites being the scene where we see him kill two Nazi's in an Argentinian bar, and the second right at the end of the film as we cut to credits, and Erik officially becomes Magneto.
Honourable mentions: Frankenstein's Monster, First Class, Rage and Serenity, X-Training, Sub-lift
28) Why Do We Fall? - The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
by Hans Zimmer
The Dark Knight trilogy is a perfectly composed franchise. Every piece of music is absolutely incredible. The Dark Knight Rises introduces brilliant new themes for Catwoman and Bane, but it's Bruce's theme that always stands out for me, heard here when he rises out of the Lazarus Pit and is metaphorically re-born.
Honourable mentions: Gotham's Reckoning, Mind if I Cut In?, On Thin Ice
27) It's Romance - Little Women (2019)
by Alexandre Desplat
It is so genuinely difficult to pick just one track from this album because each piece of music is so utterly perfect for the movie. The mixture of nostalgia, sorrow, delight, magic and romance that Desplat captures is just incredible. One of the best literary adaptations I have ever seen.
Honourable mentions: All of them!
26) The Mandalorian - The Mandalorian
by Ludwig Goransson
I have chronicled how much I love The Mandalorian in great detail, but I could write a whole other piece on how much I adore Ludwig Goransson's score for the show. He makes the wise decision to step away from John Williams' work and make something unique by blending the sound of westerns, samurai and adventure movies. The main theme is legitimately iconic already and hearing those drums at the start is thrilling.
Honourable mentions: You Are a Mandalorian, To the Jawas, The Gang, Mando's Back, Capture the Flag
25) Epilogue - La La Land (2016)
by Justin Hurwitz
La La Land's ending is so breathtaking the first time you watch it. Magical, romantic, heart-breaking all at once, and one of my favourite endings to a film in recent years. Justin Hurwitz's collaborations with director Damien Chazelle always result in something great (I am looking forward to this year's Babylon half for its soundtrack)
Honourable mentions: Mia and Sebastien's Theme, Planeterium, Engagement Party
24) The Princess Appears/Binary Sunset/Force Theme - Star Wars: A New Hope
by John Williams
The Force Theme appears in various forms throughout the Star Wars franchise. It has become the backbone of the Skywalker Saga, a theme that somehow encapsulates the entire journey from prequel to original to sequel. One of cinema's most iconic themes.
23) Molossus - Batman Begins (2005)
by Hans Zimmer
It's easy to take for granted what a feat it is that Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins isn't a just a great comic book movie.... it's a great movie. Legendary composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard blend their styles expertly to capture both the bombastic action and the grounded human touch that sets this origin story apart.
Honourable mentions: Eptesicus, Barbastella, Corynorhinus
22) On The Nature of Daylight - Shutter Island (2010)/Arrival (2016)/ Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
by Max Richter
This one is probably a bit of a cheat since Max Richter's piece wasn't originally created for a movie, but it's my list so there we go. I associate this track with the beginning and ending of 2016's Arrival, one of the most heart-breaking sequences I have seen in a film.
21) Married Life - Up (2009)
by Michael Giacchino
Speaking of heart-breaking openings! Quite simply one of the best pieces of movie music created, and not just 'for a kids' movie'.
Honourable mentions: The Ellie Badge, Stuff We Did, Paradise Found
Thank you for reading this article - you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram to find out when I post my fifth - and final! - article in this series.
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