Top 10 Film Scores of All Time 

Can we all pause for a moment to appreciate the awesomeness of this channel? We're all used to compilations of short, rapid clips--we see that constantly online--but to take dozens of pieces of music and combine bits of them into a 20-minute essay is a huge task. To then have that new collage not only make sense but sound wonderful--complementing and appreciating every single part--is a serious wonder to behold. Most medleys sound awful, but this ode to music (see what I did there?) is a treat for the ears as well as a joy for the curious mind. Man, I just really love this channel, but this may be the best video they've ever made, because the quality of the clips and commentary is actually exceeded by the phenomenal achievement of the music editing. What a masterpiece. Thank you, Cinefix, thank you.

I think Howard Shore’s score for the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the most immersive, beautiful score I’ve ever heard. It crosses the boundary between the image and the music, in a sense that Middle-Earth could not exist without his work, it is shaped by it, brought to life. It is not just music, it’s something else, an experience.

As a composer , I just can’t get mY mind around how perfect the lord of the rings’s score is, because each tune is perfect for each ovation, the shire wouldn’t be the shire without the classic flute theme, the hope building winds in the pre helms deep battle sequence and before Gandalf arrives, and probably my favorite, when Sam is in osgiliath telling the stories that really matter, each composition is perfect for each moment. Howard shore is a genius

Ennio Morricone was literally a genius, his scores are timeless

The Good the Bad and the Ugly is an incredible score, which has set the standard for the western genre. Ennio Morricone was a true genius

I must say, interstellar's theme is one of the best film scores ever made. The music strikes the viewer with the amazing sense of infinite space.

For my money, "Lord of the Rings" is the finest score ever, hands down. Not to diminish anything else, but LOTR's soundtrack is filled with leitmotifs and beauty and fury that are without peer.

Let’s be honest, John Williams could have his own list 😂

I got chills throughout the entirety of the John Williams section. Truly a legend.

The Ecstasy of Gold is the finest piece of music ever written for the screen.

My favorite score is Ennio Morricone's one for Once Upon a Time in America, I can never stop listening to it. I'm glad you mentioned it here.

Any given tune from the LOTR soundtrack may not be as widely recognized as those from Star Wars, but, IMO, as a whole it accomplishes much more with its diversity and how it has different associations with each race and even in different realms within the same race (Rohan and Gondor, for example). The instrumentation and style between the 5/4, rhythmic and austere Uruk-hai theme and the melodic, familiar and full theme of that of the Shire are SO different its nuts. I am biased though because they are my favorite movies lmao

Spirited Away Schindler’s List Interstellar Lord of the Rings Trilogy Road to Perdition American Beauty All have the greatest soundtracks I’ve ever heard.

anything ennio morricone has ever written.

One of my favorite parts of the Godfather score is how it incorporates traditional Italian folk music within the main theme. It's such a great nod to the sense tradition and family that are so central to the story. I've been waiting for this list for so long! Thank you so much for finally making the step into the music world! I totally get why you were worried about it, music's complicated even if you know what you're listening for. But I love this list, thanks for posting!

Bernard Herrmann’s score for Taxi Driver is SO good.

I'm a little saddened by no mention of the work of Joe Hisaishi on the Hayao Miyazaki films.

Interstellar's score was one of Zimmer's best

Once upon a time in the West is the best score ever. Very complicated with different music for the 5 Main characters and build Up for every scene to set the mood. Also incorporating the sounds of the environment in the score. A fly trapped or a gun shot or a squicky sign All fit perfectly together.

"The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" is my all time favourite score.

Good list. But in my opinion you didn't give Howard Shore enough credit. The score for the LOTR trilogy it's something that i haven't experience since then. The fellowship of the rings has literally everything you want for an epic fantasy movie. The intro theme, The Hobbiton theme, The mines of moria+the bridge of Khazadum (i got goosebumps even writing) the nazgul theme, in the two towers you have that beautiful yet so sad theme for Rohan, the theme for the Ents, in The return of the king there´s that freaking epic theme for Minas Tirith or the final charge of the Rohirrim and so on. Well, that's just my opinion xD

While every composer mentioned on this list is certainly praise worthy, I must admit dissapointment that Joe Hisaishi and his incredibile scores for Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films didn't get even an honorary mention.

Danny Elfman has created some of the most iconic compositions imo.

Ennio Morricone's score for Cinema Paradiso is stunning. Put that together with the final scene, which I believe is the best slice of film, and it's just heartbreaking. No dialogue but I ugly cry every time it's so powerful.

Ennio's "The good, the bad and the ugly" is truly a masterpeace. You have to watch the music in it's various pieces, that match together, simply search for danish orchestra. I miss the Bond theme. Even the music of all Bond movies is so different, when you here it, you know it's Bond: "Goldfinger", "Live and let die", "Skyfall" or even "Die another day". They all have Bond in common but can stand for it's own.

Shore's score in LOTR is the only one that can be seen as a real symphony, 10 hours long, with such complexity, research, motives, themes and deepnees still unparalleled and unseen in music scoring. He belongs already to the great symphonic composers elite of the past, like Wagner, Beethoven, Bramhs and all the others. Williams may be the best film composer alive now, but Shore is already one of the best composers all around of all times.

Great selections all. It's a difficult task when Morricone's scores for "For a Few Dollars More," "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Once Upon a Time in the West" and "Once Upon a Time in America" are all among the best scores ever written. As for John Williams, his main themes for "Superman" still give chills after 40 years.

Love the recognition for Ben Hur. Absolute definition of the word epic. Hollywood can't dream of making a movie of that scope today

10 scores impossible to ignore: Star Wars // The Lord of the Rings // Vertigo // Inception // The Good the Bad and the Ugly // Lawrence of Arabia // Requiem for a Dream // Paris, Texas // The Last of the Mohicans // Psycho

I love Cinefix. They are easily in my top 5 favorite film related RU-vid channels. But I every time I watch one of there videos I feel overwhelmed. They hit you with so many recommendations it’s impossible to keep up. I have to take notes every time they name drop a word next to an enticing adjective. Just for this video I had to pause it every 10 seconds to open Spotify and search for the soundtrack in question.

1982's Conan The Barbarian score by Basil Poledouris has a lot of beauty and sadness, but also a huge amount of violence and badassery!

Not even a mention of Howard Shores masterpiece of a score from The Silence of the Lambs. His score from this movie fit so perfectly you almost didn’t notice it, which was the point. But aside from being ominous and creepy, his score from this movie was so beautiful.

I watched “There Will Be Blood” for the first time a while ago and the score really stuck with me. Very glad to see it here

If the "Supermarine" theme in dunkirk doesn't give you anxiety then you're doing it wrong

Elmer Bernstein for "To Kill A Mockingbird" and Vangelis for "Blade Runner".

Maybe it's because I'm younger than the Star Wars and Jurassic Park movies (I'm 27) but, Hans Zimmer's scores are the most moving pieces of work I've ever come across. I literally cry listening to them at times.

I feel like Harry Potter's Hedgwig's Theme is actually underrated. It's such a great part of the series that you wouldn't believe the books were written without them, and it sets the tone beyond perfectly.

Knowing John Williams and Hans Zimmer would be here, I’m really happy that Korngold and Projofiev made the list, as well as mentioning Wagner and Richard Strauss’ writing styles. It really shows that Cinefix has or at least presents a more extensive knowledge instead of just what’s popular. These guys win.

Someone below suggests: "Ennio's "The good, the bad and the ugly" is truly a masterpeace. " ... That may be so, but it isn't Ennio's masterpiece, working with Leone. "Once Upon a Time In The West" is EASILY the magnum opus work for their collaborations! You guys had the right combo, but the wrong film. It's really not even close. I dare the coldest of hearts not to well up in tears throughout multiple moments of Morricone's soaring crescendos and intimate dirges. I DOUBLE DARE YA! Or to jump out of your seat if someone suddenly opens a door during one of Ennio's tension building standoffs that draw you into complete mesmerisation! Brilliant, unparalleled score writing. And it's a significant part of making this one of the greatest films of all time, period, and THE greatest Western.

10 - Mood - Elevator to the Gallows 9 - Tone - Eliot Goldenthal "Alien 3" 8 - An Idea - Alexandre Desplat "Birth" 7 - Psychological Manipulation - John Williams "ET" 6 - Scope - James Newton Howard "King Kong" 5 - Conflict - Ennio Morricone " The Thing" 4 - Tension - Eliot Goldenthal "Heat" 3 - Subtext - Alexandre Desplat "The Painted Veil" 2 - Theme pt 1 - James Newton Howard "The Village" 1 - Theme pt 2 - Jerry Goldsmith "Chinatown"

Blade Runner's score is one of the best scores of all time. It is completely inseperable from the film.

The scores for Studio Ghibli films also have such good musical tone to them

Elmer Bernstein's score for The Magnificent Seven is immortal. As for Ennio Morricone, a list of his masterpieces goes way beyond western music, remember the fabulous scores for The Mission and Le Professionnel.

I'm pretty late, but I think John Powell's score for How to Train Your Dragon is pretty up there.

We all knew Star Wars was going to be in this.

I love this channel. But LOTR certainly deserves to be on this list. It is the best score of modern times in my book. And I know that’s a subjective opinion, but I have an hunch it’s not just mine. Like the call out to Under the Skin though

I can't believe John Barry was never even mentioned! His work is brilliant, and his exquisite score of Somewhere in Time is the most perfect interpretation of story through music in cinematic history. You really dropped the ball on this one.

It almost hurts not to see Hermann's "Vertigo" in the top 3, but well... great list and even a greater, enjoyable video. Thank you.

Interstellar is easily Zimmers best score and one of my favorite scores of all time. Would have easily preferred it over Dunkirk. His Blade Runner 2049 score is also amazing.

Man, there are so many great ones--these are my faves: Vangelis-- Chariots of Fire Ennio Morricone--The Mission (that oboe!!) James Horner--Field of Dreams Bill Conti--Rocky Alan Silvestri--Forrest Gump John Williams--Schindler's List Thomas Newman--Shawshank Redemption, Road to Perdition Hans Zimmer--Inception, Interstellar Elmer Bernstein--Magnificent Seven, Age of Innocence, Randy Newman--The Natural Nino Rota--Romeo and Juliet Tan Dun--Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Howard Shore--The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Pippin's song alone, right?) James Horner--Legends of the Fall Bruce Rowland--Man From Snowy River Ennio Morricone--Cinema Paradiso Ernest Gold--Exodus Dave Grusin--On Golden Pond, The Firm Michael Nyman--The Piano John Barry--Somewhere in Time John Williams/Enya --Far and Away Maurice Jarre--The Year of Living Dangerously Jerry Goldsmith--Hoosiers Bernard Hermann--North by Northwest Max Steiner--Casablanca James Newton Howard--The Fugitive Michael Kamen--Mr. Holland's Opus, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Highlander Trevor Jones--The Last of the Mohicans, Cliffhanger, Mississippi Burning, Dark City, Notting Hill Angelo Badalamenti--Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks (amazing work) Jan A.P. Kaczmarek--Finding Neverland, Hachi: A Dog's Tale I think these are the best, personally. There are so many great ones, though.

I LOVE that they recognized Korngold and the Sea Hawk as number one. Love that score! I don’t feel so bad about inflicting it on my different girlfriends over the years! He defined the exciting adventure movie sound. There would be no Star Wars without Korngold. Most scores are a photocopy of a photocopy of better scores like this and people don’t even realize. Cudos Cinefix!

What a lovely and compelling essay with great picks! I was very pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of Alexander Nevsky, though I have to admit I feel the LOTR score deserved some more credit. I would also like to point anyone who enjoys a great movie score to the lesser-known works of Taro Iwashiro for the incredible Red Cliff and Krzesimir Debski for the Polish epic With Fire and Sword.

My favorite score when it comes to scope is Howard Shore's LOTR score

God, I absolutely Love Johnny Williams. That was amazing. Thank you for the amazing video.

I’m so appreciative you have Korngold’s score for The Sea Hawk (1940) at number one - this has been a personal Top 10 film for me since my childhood - it was my father’s favourite film of all time I just love this film and the score has always been a personal favourite of mine The whole film is EPIC with a very underrated performance by Flynn - at the top of his game here The thematic underpinning of this film - of not appeasing tyranny but standing up to it - is as relevant now as it was in 1940 when Britain still stood alone against Hitler’s attempted conquest of the world

Some of my favorite film scores of all time Action Scores 1. Terminator 2 - Brad Fiedel 2. Mortal Kombat - The Immortals 3. Clash of the Titans - Laurence Rosenthal 4. The Warriors - Barry De Vorzon 5. Pirates of the Caribbean - Hans Zimmer Horror/Tense Scores 1. Halloween - John Carpenter 2. The Exorcist - Jack Nitzsche 3. Jaws - John Williams 4. Psycho - Bernard Herman 5. Sicario - Johan Johanssen 6. Us - Michael Abels 7. Midsommar - Bobby Krlic 8. The Thing - Ennio Morricone Tragic Scores 1. Schindler's List - John Williams 2. The Truman Show - Phillip Glass 3. Babel - Gustavo Santaolalla 4. Amores Perros - Gustavo Santaolalla 5. Raging Bull - Pietro Mascagni Majestic/Elegant Scores 1. Star Wars - John Williams 2. Jurassic Park & The Lost World Jurassic Park- John Williams 3. Harry Potter - John Williams 4. The Mask of Zorro - James Horner 5. Hook - John Williams 6. Prince of Egypt - Hans Zimmer Sports Themes 1. Rocky - Bill Conti 2. Rudy - Jerry Goldsmith 3. Creed - Ludwig Goransson 4. Glory Road - Trevor Rabin 5. Remember the Titans - Trevor Rabin Superhero Themes 1. Spider-Man - Danny Elfman 2. Superman - John Williams 3. Batman - Danny Elfman 4. The Incredibles - Michael Giacchino 5. Batman Forever - Elliot Goldenthal Western Themes 1. Django - Luis Bacalov 2. They Call Me Trinity - Franco Micalizzi 3. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Ennio Morricone 4. The Hateful 8 - Ennio Morricone 5. A Fistful of Dollars - Ennio Morricone

Hanz Zimmer can take simple musical elements and by layering it can _make a complex yet equally brilliant masterpiece._

Personally, my #1 Movie score will always be The Lord of the Rings

You guys really put the time and effort into things like this to do it right; I always learn about things from your lists, which is why they are worth watching. THANK YOU!!

Choosing the score of "STAR WARS Ep: V - The Empire Strikes Back" to be the 2nd on the list over any other Star Wars movie reflects how genius CineFix in analyzing movie scores.

Now, CineFix...What about Film Editors?

As much as I love these scores, those with electronic elements do not get enough credit. It took The Social Network to break that, but Cliff Martinez’ works (particularly Drive and The Neon Demon) are also stunning accompaniments to Refn’s films.

Inception is a freaking masterpiece. I still listen to the soundtrack to this day. It takes you to a different world.✨✨✨

That is UNREAL how much Williams sounds like Korngold. I've never even heard of Korngold before, or that Williams was very obviously heavily influenced by him. I don't know if it makes me think less of Williams (who i would always have considered the GOAT of film scores), but it makes me think Korngold is a super genius that non-movie-buffs are missing out on.

You know how long I’ve been waiting for this list?

I'm legitimately crushed Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings score only gets a minor shout out, it's far and away the best on this list :/

I am late in following this channel, but it has brought me so much joy when I am so tired of the despair of the pandemic. Thank you!!

The good, the bad and the ugly 🔥🔥 Mother of all character intro musics

Very happy Jonny Greenwood got a spot. My favorite

I'm glad Sunshine got a mention even though it didn't make the list. The score made the film imo.

Not in any specific order: Lord of the Rings Pirates of the Caribbean Godfather Star Wars Indiana Jones

Nice to meet all of you fellow soundtrack lovers, here's a few of my favorite in no particular order. Wizard of Oz, The Big Country, The Long Ships, Harry and the Henderson, Bicentennial Man, Conan the Barbarian, Barbie and the Island Princess, The Black Stallion, Titanic, The Greatest Showman.

Bernard Hermann's Vertigo score penatrates the mystery and romance. Absolutely sublime. Such a profound influence on composers to this day. I hear echoes of it occasionally.

*FINALLY!* My life is complete now EDIT: After watching the video, I must confess that I'm pretty happy and impressed about the amount of effort and research put into this list, which is a terribly difficult one to do, even for the wonderful movie specialists in the Cinefix team. Music it's an immense world by itself and knowing a lot about movies doesn't guarantee you knowing about music scores. However they did an incredible work. I'm happy that Korngold got first place, he built the foundations of film scoring. I'm also happy that we got a vast representation of old film composers because people nowadays seem to praise and know mainly John Williams and Hans Zimmer. IMHO Bernard Herrmann is the best film composer ever, especially for the variety of the styles used during his career (Vertigo, Psycho and Taxi Driver are an example of how different yet so good a score can be). Film scoring is one of those things that I think have gone downhill lately. Nowadays directors (in general) think that they can substitute the emotions created by spectacular scores with special effects, in which they spend a lot of money, reducing the budget for the music. That results in, either hiring a mediocre composer, either putting most of the time sound effects over actual music or even substituting a real orchestra (which normally plays and record the film scores) with a computer program that "emulates" the sound of musical instruments. That last thing, especially for a music student like me, is unbearable. Last thing I wanted to say is that, for all of you movie fans (that somehow have read this comment until now) I encourage you to listen to more classical music. It's a genre that a lot of people think it's dying or old. Well, let me say that film scores owes a lot to classical music, especially late 19th Century/early 20th Century. I recommend you the Planets by Holst, Wagner's operas, Scheherazade by Korsakov, Firebird by Stravinsky and also more "dissonant" (yet satisfactory) pieces by Prokofiev (the Alexander Nevsky guy), Shostakovich etc. Some directors knew that and actually preferred to use music from the past rather than hiring a composer. The most important director that comes to my mind is Kubrick who borrowed a lot of music like Strauss' 'Also spracht Zarathustra', Beethoven 9th Symphony, Bartok's music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Ligeti's music, Shostakovich's waltz, Handel's Sarabande etc.

John Williams’s Star Wars themes also draw from Gustav Holst’s The Planets.

I honestly can’t believe that the score from, The Last of the Mohicans, with Daniel Day Lewis, wasn’t even mentioned once. Trevor and Randy deserve the recognition.

I could listen to Miles Davis' Elevator to the Gallows soundtrack forever.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY I WAS TO SEE KORNGOLD’S NAME HERE i always loved him as a classical composer but never knew his work in movies! love you cinefix!!!!!

One of my favourites is cornfield chase by Hans zimmer in interstellar. Something about it is so beautiful, it’s mysterious and almost nostalgic in a way, I’ve never heard anything like it

Top Ten Film Scores of All Time; Simply the one of the most intelligent, insightful, and illuminating discussions of any serious topic on the internet ever.

Blade Runner?? :’(

VANGELIS, BLADE RUNNER?!?! HELLOOOO???

Some of my favorite soundtracks (not in any particular order) The Lord Of The Rings Rango Pirates of the Caribbean There will be Blood James Bond theme Star Wars How to train your dragon Guardians of the Galaxy Every Tarantino movie And other fun shenanigans

The constant ticking clock trick in the Dunkirk score was flawlessly executed. Keeps you tense and on the edge of your seat the whole time. The scene in the train when the ticking finally stops and it’s finally calm and you can finally breathe is one of my favorite movies moments ever

Wonderful!!! Now, please make an episode on the 10 best uses of music not written specifically for the screen in movies. Like, J Strauss II’s Blue Danube Waltz, and R. Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathrustra uses in 2001 a Space Odyssey

You said themes and leitmotifs, and I said "this had better be John Williams." And you did Howard Shore and LotR dirty by only mentioning it in passing.

It may not be the best....but surely its the most iconic...THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY🔥🔥🔥

Once upon a time in the west is my favorite. I love how the music is part of the fictive story too.

My personal favorites: 10. Dunkirk 9. Phantom Thread 8. The Social Network 7. La La Land 6. The Godfather 5. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4. Interstellar 3. Schindler's List 2. The Empire Strikes Back 1. Blade Runner

I vote for Joe Hisaishi.

The Lord of the Rings have the best score of all time. A score that, as the movies, spans the entire trilogy as one giant 9h story.

If Twin Peeks was a movie, this definitely should have made the list.. Such amazing compositions.

Thank you for recognizing the greatness inherent in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

Brilliant list, I was slightly surprised Blade Runner didn't get a spot here, or any of Vangelis' scores for that matter, he is certainly one of my favourite composers. His electronic scores are so unique and so brilliant, in Blade Runner it evokes the entire atmosphere and mood of the film almost perfectly, and for a film like Blade Runner that I would say needed to have that atmosphere brought across perfectly to get that film to work in the cyber-noir feel it's going for, that noir-ish score with the cyber-punk electric score to help it, is just incredible. Tears in Rain is a beautiful piece of music, and of course I must love the soundtrack putting the iconic speech in there too, and one that was even brought back in the end of 2049 (if I remember correctly) in a brilliant sort of tribute to that score. And the Love Theme...god, as a sax player I can't help but adore that saxophone solo it's honestly spectacular!

"The Mission" The only score literally makes me cry.

LOTR is simply unmatched. Yes it could not have existed without the innovative and influential works of earlier composers, but it’s just so good. It is like its own character, one of the most important of all, for how much it influences the movies. It’s absolutely intoxicatingly powerful, and is one of the best things about three of the greatest films ever made.

Nice to see a "10 best list" actually take into consideration the "old masters", not just the new moneymakers.

Last of the Mohicans. Great themes throughout!

The vertigo score is by far my favorite all-time score, Herrmann was a genius

My list of favourite scores 10. The Godfather (Nino Rota 9. The Last Samurai (Hans Zimmer) 8. The last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones) 7. Red Corner (Thomas Newman) 6. Star Wars (John Williams) 5. Jurassic Park (John Williams) 4. Lawrence of Arabia (Maurice Jarre) 3. Red Dragon (Danny Elfman) 2. Heat (Moby) 1. Schindler’s list (John Williams)