Top 20 Most Iconic Instrumental Movie Scores of All Time
#20: “The Pink Panther” (1963)
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It’s not often that comedy films produce great music, but “The Pink Panther” is an exception. Composed and conducted by Henry Mancini, the soundtrack runs just under half an hour and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It was also ranked the 20th greatest film score of all time by the American Film Institute. “It Had Better Be Tonight” is a samba classic performed by Fran Jeffries, and “The Pink Panther Theme” is obviously iconic, complete with the signature sax sounds of Plas Johnson. The entire score is a unique mixture of jazz, swing, and lounge styles, and it remains the most legendary film score in comedy movie history.
#19: “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979)
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Sound familiar? Long before it introduced Jean-Luc Picard and the next generation, this adventurous melody was leading audiences into “Star Trek’s” first cinematic foray. Though J.J. Abrams reboot series is also dramatic, the enticing and triumphant trumpets of the 1979 theme practically scream of classic science fiction and the wondrous adventures that are so synonymous with the epic series. According to composer Jerry Goldsmith, he was heavily influenced by the optimistic and epic style of the original “Star Wars” theme and wanted to produce a chorus that can replicate the wandering beauty of the galaxy. We’d say he did a fine job.
#18: “Forrest Gump” (1994)
As Jerry Goldsmith did with “Star Trek,” Alan Silvestri uses the audible themes of wonder and spaciousness in his score for this comedy-drama, but embellishes them in a much different way. Reflecting the mind of Alabama’s favorite war hero and Ping-Pong player, the introductory score for “Forrest Gump” gracefully meanders across the film’s credits, creating an atmosphere of quiet mystery and contentment. And much like our title character, as the song wanders it reaches unpredictable peaks. Fittingly, it is a mysterious and romantic theme befitting the unknown paths that Forrest finds himself on.
#17: “Batman” (1989)
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We’re not saying superhero movies live or die on their soundtracks, but there’s no denying that a great score can elevate the material. Luckily, “Batman” has a great one thanks to the consistently excellent Danny Elfman. Elfman was understandably nervous about taking on such a gargantuan project, especially after producer Jon Peters voiced his hesitation. But Elfman absolutely nailed it, and the music is now considered one of the greatest aspects of the film. “Descent into Mystery” is a dark and mystical epic, “Finale” is almost two minutes of pure triumph, and “The Batman Theme” has long become synonymous with The Caped Crusader, even being used for the opening credits of “Batman: The Animated Series.”
#16: “Inception” (2010)
Though he’s obviously done lots of memorable work before the 21st century, Hans Zimmer has been making a powerful name for himself more recently as Christopher Nolan’s golden boy composer. Not satisfied with creating the heart pounding drums featured in “The Dark Knight,” Zimmer produced the iconic horns that are such a standout in “Inception,” incorporating hints of Édith Piaf's “Non, je ne regrette rien” throughout. Zimmer has said that he hoped the score would feel like huge foghorns over a city, and with the electronic flavor he’s added the mixture is instantly compelling. While shaking seats across cinemas, the track entitled ‘Time’ is a slow climb to triumphant success that drives the film and brings us all along for the ride.
#15: “The Godfather” (1972)
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Often hailed as one of the greatest movies ever made, “The Godfather” has long earned acclaim for its period production design, epic story, and incredible acting. But there’s also no sleeping on Nino Rota’s score, which was intentionally produced to invoke tragedy and Italian culture. The “Main Title” (also known as “The Godfather Waltz”) is both haunting and nostalgic, perfectly evoking the tragedy and romance of the story, and “The Baptism” helped create the greatest death montage in cinema history. “Love Theme from The Godfather” is also a great piece of music, even though it led to the revoking of the score’s Academy Award nomination (as it was too similar to Rota’s “Fortunella” score).
#14: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)
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It can be fairly tricky to translate the feeling of a fantasy series into a musical score, but if anyone can do it, it’s John Williams. And he did, perfectly complementing the plot by punctuating the action in all the right places and inspiring mystery in others. Although known as Hedwig’s theme, this Williams composition is completely at home as the theme for ‘the boy who lived.’ Its opening notes are quieter than a mouse but as enticing as the first words of a great book, as it enigmatically dances across the films. Eventually, the score rises in rushing anticipation of the action and excitement that is expected of every well-known John Williams composition.
#13: “Rocky” (1976)
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This little boxing film, made for the equivalent of $4 million, produced one of the greatest scores in movie history. Composer Bill Conti had worked with director John G. Avildsen on “W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings,” leading Avildsen to approach him for “Rocky.” Conti had just $25,000 to work with, proving that you don’t need a huge budget to make great music. “Going the Distance” helps sell Rocky’s fortitude in the ring, and “The Final Bell” is a momentous piece of music that beautifully conveys his personal triumph. And of course, there’s “Gonna Fly Now,” an Oscar-nominated piece of music that has become synonymous with fearlessness and overcoming obstacles (not to mention training montages). The score is equal parts epic, beautiful, and inspirational.
#12: “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
Often hailed as the greatest science fiction film ever made, “2001: A Space Odyssey” deserved an epic score to match its ambitious story and themes. While composer Alex North was hired to write original music, Stanley Kubrick abandoned his work in favor of pre-existing classical music. Many of these pieces saw a resurgence in popularity following the movie’s release, as they were expertly tied to the images on screen. This includes György Ligeti’s “Atmosphères,” which is hauntingly used in the wormhole sequence, and Richard Strauss’ “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” which is famously utilized in the opening and closing sequences. No other movie has utilized classical music so effectively.
#11: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
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Gone are Brad Fiedel’s synthesized riffs of the 1980s, only to be replaced by Brad Fiedel’s lower octave, dread-filled orchestral sound for the 1990s. It’s strangely fitting that the closer to Judgment Day we get, the more terrifying and hopeless the Terminator’s music becomes. Hard-hitting drums that emulate the sounds of war engulf our ears, leading to a grand choir whose voices sound eerily like pained cries. What sticks most in our minds is the clanging of metal mixed into the soundtrack, which grows more frequent and louder as the rise of the machines draws ever closer. The war that is; not the third film.
#10: “Dr. No” (1962)
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Few pieces of movie music have reached such legendary status as the “James Bond Theme.” Even people who have never seen a Bond film will recognize its iconic guitar riff and the momentous blares of its saxophones and brass instruments. It evokes the mystery and sophistication of Mr. Bond himself, with the blares punctuating his propensity for violence. The music’s origins and authorship are quite contentious and have been the subject of numerous lawsuits, with credit often fluctuating between Monty Norman and John Barry. The theme appears in numerous guises throughout “Dr. No,” most prominently in the title sequence and end credits.
#9: “Jurassic Park” (1993)
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Composer John Williams had the difficult task of conveying the immensity, ferocity, and otherworldly beauty of dinosaurs through music. Just as the visual effects artists were forced to make them convincing, so too was Williams required to capture the cinematic magic. A large orchestra was utilized to match the scope of the visuals, and Williams crafted two of the most iconic themes in movie history. “Journey to the Island” is an upbeat and thrilling piece signifying the adventure to come, and “Theme from Jurassic Park” is a rousing piece that captures the unbelievable sight of dinosaurs coming back to life. The brachiosaurus reveal will forever remain a classic piece of movie history, being the perfect merger of story, dramatic reveal, quote, visual effect, and score.
#8: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
Really, there’s no going wrong with a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and John Williams. Twelve years before “Jurassic Park,” the two collaborated on “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which was meant to evoke the cheesy but exciting serial films of the early 20th century. Williams crafted music that evoked a theatrical sense of adventure, not taking itself too seriously but just serious enough to be genuinely rousing and invigorating. “The Raiders March” is one of the most recognizable pieces of music in movie history, its orchestral sounds conveying a thrilling sense of mischief, danger, and world-trotting adventure.
#7: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
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Music motifs are an important aspect of epic films, and “The Fellowship of the Ring” contains numerous motifs that are matched to different characters, moods, and situations. “Concerning Hobbits” is a beautiful little tune that captures the innocence of hobbits. Contrast that with “The Black Rider” and “A Knife In the Dark,” haunting and sinister pieces tied to depictions of evil. “The Ring Goes South” is a John Williams-esque tune that perfectly captures an epic sense of adventure and camaraderie, while “Amon Hen” batters the viewer with deep, guttural sounds that herald approaching danger. In short, this is one of the most versatile, memorable, and instantly recognizable scores in movie history - a sound for every occasion.
#6: “Schindler’s List” (1993)
Give us a moment to put our hearts back together before we talk about this one. Composed by frequent Spielberg collaborator John Williams, this Oscar-winning piece pays homage to old World War II choruses with its grieving violin arrangements, played by famed violinist Itzhak Perlman. A tune this harrowing is not something we’d seen often before in Williams’ repertoire, and in fact he tried to back out altogether after seeing the powerful film. He told Spielberg the movie deserved a better composer, but Spielberg contended that everyone better was already dead. And thus a classic yet melancholic instrumental was born.
#5: “Titanic” (1997)
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When collaborating on “Aliens,” composer James Horner and director James Cameron clashed mightily. The composer therefore never expected the brilliant director to come knocking again. But, after being highly impressed with the somber work Horner composed for “Braveheart,” Cameron hired the composer to produce a similarly tragic theme as a send-off to the famous ship. The heavenly choirs and wordless vocalizations are spread across the soundtrack in a graceful collection of sad goodbyes and final solitude that was rewarded with a well-deserved Oscar. And yes, Horner wrote that song as well.
#4: “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
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If the thirst for adventure doesn’t immediately hit you upon hearing this soundtrack, you’re clearly not listening very well. With bellowing crescendos occurring without warning at a moment’s notice, this grand and epic score inspires a rush of adrenaline in the hearts of any would-be pirate. Glorious in tone and greatly befitting a swashbuckling romp through the Caribbean, it was created by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt and a team of several composers. But, it’s safe to say they all pirated Zimmer’s tone a little bit.
#3: “Superman” (1978)
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Another great John Williams score, the music to “Superman” is instantly recognizable and arguably the greatest superhero movie composition. Like “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Williams appreciated the film’s campy tone, and he wrote the music to reflect that overly theatrical atmosphere. The main theme has a certain cheesiness to it, coming across as very old school and traditional. It conveys the almost mythical status of Superman himself, being a legendary piece of American pop culture. The music is heroic, uplifting, and adventurous - the perfect musical accompaniment for a fabled American story.
#2: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)
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Surprise, surprise: here’s another John Williams entry on our list! The heart and soul of the movie, the “E.T.” theme is filled with majesty and a magical tone that emulates the atmosphere of this beloved blockbuster. In an era of other iconic Williams’ compositions, like “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones,” “E.T.”’s score is another that reminds us of our childhood, and takes us back to a golden age in Hollywood. Fitting perfectly into the film and highlighting its themes and emotions, it’s a dream-like fantasy montage of music, whose beauty stems purely from healthy imagination. While not necessarily as dramatic as others we’ve talked about, the Oscar-winning score from “E.T” is a perfect addition to a phenomenal family film. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984) Grammy Award-Winning Soundtrack with the Iconic “Axel F” “Psycho” (1960) “The Murder” Is One of the Most Famous Pieces of Music in Movie History “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) The Most Iconic Western Score Ever Produced “Halloween” (1978) A Spine-Tingling Score That’ll Get You in the Spirit of the Season “Ben Hur” (1959) A Score as Triumphant as the Film Itself
#1: “Star Wars Trilogy” (1977-83)
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There’s simply no overlooking the incredible music of “Star Wars.” John Williams crafted what is arguably the greatest score in movie history, with many of its pieces becoming mainstays in the larger pop culture zeitgeist for half a century. It has been showered with accolades, and it was even named the greatest score of all time by the American Film Institute. It’s not hard to see why, considering the inclusion of “Main Title,” “The Imperial March,” “Princess Leia’s Theme,” and “Cantina Band,” among many other classics. The music has transcended film and been ingrained in the wider cultural consciousness, and it will be listened to long after we’re all gone. Not to oversell it, but this may be the Beethoven and Mozart of our time.
