The movies that have stood the test of time do so with complex storylines, masterful characterisations, and top-notch acting. However, a crucial aspect makes films all the more magical: the music we hear amplifies our emotions in tandem with what they want the audience to feel.
As instrumental a role as the director and the main lead, film composers have been captivating and further enthralling audiences with their musical chops, producing some of the most iconic and recognisable film scores in entertainment. From the legendary Hans Zimmer to the trailblazer John Barry, here are the greatest film composers of our time.
10Alan Silvestri
With career beginnings dating back to 1972, Alan Silvestri remains one of the greatest film composers to ever live, scoring many movies that we know and love throughout the decades. He scored most of director Robert Zemeckis' movies, such as Cast Away, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, A Christmas Carol and The Polar Express.
Although his talent for making some of the most tender, heartfelt soundtracks is noted, his ability to adapt to what the film or director needs is shown when he scored several of the Marvel movies, including Infinity War and Endgame.
9John Barry
Although he isn’t as well-known today, it’s John Barry’s work and recognisable tunes that preceded his name. Barry got his start writing music for the jazz-crooning duo, The Barry Sisters, in the late 1950s, before delving into scoring for television shows and films.
But it wasn’t until he was approached to score the firstJames Bond film, Dr No, that truly launched Barry’s career into the stratosphere. Scoring the James Bond franchise until 1987, Barry was responsible for creating the iconic James Bond Theme, which continues to be used in future James Bond films. While working on James Bond, Barry also scored big successes in making music for Kevin Costner’s Dances With Wolves and Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa and bagging Oscar wins for both.
8Kenji Kawai
Equally as famous and respectable as another Japanese film composer on this list, Kenji Kawai has contributed immensely with his ability to capture the essence of a certain film’s themes and evoke them in his music. This is ably demonstrated in possibly his greatest life’s work for the 1995 anime movie, Ghost in the Shell, its iconic Making of a Cyborg track embodying the entire film with its ethereal choral chants.
Kawai has also devoted his talents to horror classics with Hideo Tanaka’s Ring and Ring 2 and thekung-fu smash hit, Ip Man, while continuing to contribute to anime by providing music scores for prolific anime shows Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and Mob Psycho 100.
7James Horner
In a career that has awarded him numerous accolades for his achievements, the late James Horner has certainly made his mark in the world. Involved in scoring major projects from Braveheart to Aliens, Horner reached a career-high when he was tasked with scoring James Cameron’s romance classic, Titanic.
Horner’s success continued with another collaboration with James Cameron on his blockbuster sci-fi hit, Avatar, which netted him an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination. Horner’s scores have drawn inspiration from Celtic music, which he incorporates and blends with electronic and orchestral sounds.
6Max Steiner
Starting from 1907 to 1965, legendary film composer Max Steiner composed music for some of the greatest film classics of Old Hollywood. Steiner has the honour of being the first person to win an Oscar for Best Original Score and his works have influenced other composers like John Barry and John Williams.
The man dubbed ‘the father of film music’ has scored for films like Gone with the Wind, the first King Kong film, Casablanca and The Adventures of Don Juan, among many others. Despite it being more than half a century since Steiner’s death, his legacy is still felt in the films of today.
5Jerry Goldsmith
Jerry Goldsmith made his name on several timeless classics in both television and film. He began composing music for big-name TV shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and a number of Twilight Zone episodes, and scoring for films like the 1977 horror classic The Omen and winning an Oscar for it.
However, his more recognisable work came in the form of Star Trek and Ridley Scott’s Alien, composing the iconic Star Trek theme that defined the franchise. Goldsmith’s genius at mixing contemporary music genres like jazz and lesser-known, unconventional instruments made him a fixture in the industry long after his death.
4Howard Shore
A prominent name in the industry, Howard Shore’s nearly 50-year-long career has seen him net an endless stream of awards, with three Oscars, three Golden Globes, four Grammys and many more.
Although he’s collaborated with Hollywood greats like Martin Scorcese, Shore is most renowned for his efforts to bring the lands of Middle-earth to life in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and its prequel, The Hobbit film series. It can be said, without a doubt, that Peter Jackson’s magnum opuswould not have been the same without Shore’s enchanting and epic score fit for one of the best high fantasy series of all time.
3Joe Hisaishi
A household name in Japan and beyond, Joe Hisaishi has attached his name to the crème de la crème of anime films. He is responsible for helping create fond childhood memories in millions of children since the 80s with his iconic collaboration withStudio Ghibli, composing music for notable titles like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbour Totoro.
Hisaishi doesn’t merely confine himself to anime films but also lends his talent to Japanese crime drama hits Sonatine (1993) and Brother (2000), as well as crafting music scores for Bandai Namco’s fantasy RPG series Ni no Kuni.
2Hans Zimmer
One of the most accomplished and well-known composers of our time, Hans Zimmer has had a glittering career composing scores for some of the best movies of our era. With two Oscars and five Grammys under his belt, Zimmer’s talent is undeniable, and he is known for his long-term collaboration with acclaimed director,Christopher Nolan.
Zimmer’s music tends to be infused with orchestral sounds, which we can hear prominently in his career-defining work for Interstellar. Aside from Interstellar, Zimmer has also composed music for 1994’s Lion King, 2003’s The Last Samurai and most recently, 2021’s Dune and its 2024 sequel.
1John Williams
John Williams is the most decorated film composer of our time, and for good reason. Over the course of his more than seven-decade-long career, he has garnered a whopping 54 Oscar nominations and 26 Grammy wins in recognition of his astounding work, becoming the most nominated person after Walt Disney.
Composing some of the most recognisable and defining tracks ever created, Williams not only scored the first Star Wars film, but also had a long-term partnership with Steven Spielberg. He helped compose the soundtracks for Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, as well as crafting the iconic Harry Potter theme for the films. Now aged 91, Williams continues making strides in his career, most recently scoring the 2023 Indiana Jones movie, marking his 42nd year scoring the franchise since it first began in 1981.
