While the actors and special effects usually take center stage in blockbuster films, the musical score is often just as important. From sweeping violins to blaring horns, instrumentals increase the film’s emotion and transport us into another world. If you enjoy films for their musicality in addition to what’s on the screen, check out these six best composers for movies from the last 100 years and see if you can recognize their signature pieces.
6. Maurice Jarre
Sixth on our list of best composers for movies is Maurice Jarre, who was the first French composer to win an Oscar for his score of Lawrence of Arabia. An innovator, Jarre drew attention and acclaim from his blend of orchestral, electronic, and ethnic sounds throughout his work. Jarre wasn’t even the first choice for Lawrence of Arabia; instead was hired after William Walton and Malcolm Arnold were too busy for the job. The rest is history.
- Prominent Films: Lawrence of Arabia, Ghost, Doctor Zhivago
5. Max Steiner
Next up on our list of best composers for movies is Max Steiner. The Austrian composer was one of the founders of film music, writing the rulebook for composers today with his groundbreaking Hollywood scores during the 1930s. One of his most prominent works was Gone with the Wind, ranked by the American Film Institute as the second-greatest film score of all time. The scores we know and love today wouldn’t be the same without Max Steiner.
- Prominent Films: Gone with the Wind, King Kong, Casablanca
4. John Barry
Our fourth selection of best composers for movies is British film composer John Barry. One of Britain’s most famous film composers, Barry was the most prominent in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Known for the Bond movies, Barry also created the beautiful, haunting sounds in Dances with Wolves, which still gets voted to the top of movie and classical music charts today.
- Prominent Films: James Bond (11 films), Dances with Wolves, Out of Africa
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3. Howard Shore
Howard Shore, a Canadian composer, conductor, and orchestrator, is among the top three best composers for movies. He has composed scores for over 80 films, but the most notable are the scores for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The LOTR scores earned Shore three Academy Awards and a spot in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame. Shore has also worked with directors David Cronenberg and Martin Scorsese on several of their films.
- Prominent Films: The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Hugo
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2. John Williams
Second on our list of best composers for movies is John Williams, composing some of the most popular film scores of all time. Williams set the standard for film music, creating intense connections between audiences and the film’s story with sweeping scores and iconic melodies. Inspired by Holst, Wagner, and Strauss, his compositions are now heard in music halls worldwide, including the ominous theme in Jaws. Williams has won five Oscars for his work.
- Prominent Films: Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter
1. Hans Zimmer
Last but not least on our best composers for movies list is Hans Zimmer, one of the most dominant composers in the 21st century. The German composer’s collaborative spirit, innate sense of musical drama, and intuitive production methods have spread over 150 films and four decades. Zimmer has scored some of the most iconic blockbusters of all time, winning multiple awards including Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Grammy Awards. His scores often fuse symphonic power with synthesized textures, adapting to several different film genres and making him as versatile as he is dominant.
- Prominent Films: The Lion King, Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar, Batman, Dune
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