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RollTide1987's definitive list of the most iconic movie scores in film history (1960-2023)
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:00 pm
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:00 pm
I have brought this topic up on a number of occasions but with the help of ChatGPT and my own personal opinion, I believe I have settled upon the definitive list of the most iconic film scores in the last 60+ years.
Without further adieu:
1960 - "Psycho" by Bernard Herrmann
1961 - "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Henry Mancini
1962 - "Dr. No" by Monty Norman & John Barry
1963 - "The Pink Panther" by Henry Mancini
1964 - "Mary Poppins" by the Richard Sherman & Robert Sherman
1965 - "The Sound of Music" by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
1966 - "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" by Ennio Morricone
1967 - "The Jungle Book" by George Bruns
1968 - "2001: A Space Odyessy" by Various Artists
1969 - "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" by Burt Bacharach
1970 - "Love Story" by Francis Lai
1971 - "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley
1972 - "The Godfather" by Nino Rota
1973 - "The Exorcist" by Mike Oldfield
1974 - "The Godfather Part II" by Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola
1975 - "Jaws" by John Williams
1976 - "Rocky" by Bill Conti
1977 - "Star Wars" by John Williams
1978 - "Superman" by John Williams
1979 - "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" by Jerry Goldsmith
1980 - "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" by John Williams
1981 - "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by John Williams
1982 - "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" by John Williams
1983 - "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" by John Williams
1984 - "The Terminator" by Brad Fiedel
1985 - "Back to the Future" by Alan Silvestri
1986 - "Top Gun" by Harold Faltermeyer
1987 - "Predator" by Alan Silvestri
1988 - "Beetlejuice" by Danny Elfman
1989 - "Batman" by Danny Elfman
1990 - "Home Alone" by John Williams
1991 - "Beauty and the Beast" by Alan Menken
1992 - "Aladdin" by Alan Menken
1993 - "Jurassic Park" by John Williams
1994 - "The Lion King" by Hans Zimmer
1995 - "Toy Story" by Randy Newman
1996 - "Space Jam" by Various Artists
1997 - "Titanic" by James Horner
1998 - "The Prince of Egypt" by Hans Zimmer
1999 - "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" by John Williams
2000 - "Gladiator" by Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard
2001 - "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by John Williams
2002 - "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" by Howard Shore
2003 - "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" by Klaus Badelt
2004 - "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by John Williams
2005 - "Batman Begins" by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
2006 - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" by Hans Zimmer
2007 - "Transformers" by Steve Jablonsky
2008 - "The Dark Knight" by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
2009 - "Up" by Michael Giacchino
2010 - "Inception" by Hans Zimmer
2011 - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" by Alexandre Desplat
2012 - "The Avengers" by Alan Silvestri
2013 - "Frozen" by Christophe Beck
2014 - "Interstellar" by Hans Zimmer
2015 - "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" by John Williams
2016 - "La La Land" by Justin Hurwitz
2017 - "Dunkirk" by Hans Zimmer
2018 - "Black Panther" by Ludwig Göransson
2019 - "Joker" by Hildur Guðnadóttir
2020 - "Soul" by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
2021 - "Dune" by Hans Zimmer
2022 - "Top Gun: Maverick" by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer, & Lorne Balfe
2023 - "Oppenheimer" by Ludwig Göransson
2024 - "Dune: Part Two" by Hans Zimmer
Without further adieu:
1960 - "Psycho" by Bernard Herrmann
1961 - "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Henry Mancini
1962 - "Dr. No" by Monty Norman & John Barry
1963 - "The Pink Panther" by Henry Mancini
1964 - "Mary Poppins" by the Richard Sherman & Robert Sherman
1965 - "The Sound of Music" by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
1966 - "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" by Ennio Morricone
1967 - "The Jungle Book" by George Bruns
1968 - "2001: A Space Odyessy" by Various Artists
1969 - "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" by Burt Bacharach
1970 - "Love Story" by Francis Lai
1971 - "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley
1972 - "The Godfather" by Nino Rota
1973 - "The Exorcist" by Mike Oldfield
1974 - "The Godfather Part II" by Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola
1975 - "Jaws" by John Williams
1976 - "Rocky" by Bill Conti
1977 - "Star Wars" by John Williams
1978 - "Superman" by John Williams
1979 - "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" by Jerry Goldsmith
1980 - "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" by John Williams
1981 - "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by John Williams
1982 - "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" by John Williams
1983 - "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" by John Williams
1984 - "The Terminator" by Brad Fiedel
1985 - "Back to the Future" by Alan Silvestri
1986 - "Top Gun" by Harold Faltermeyer
1987 - "Predator" by Alan Silvestri
1988 - "Beetlejuice" by Danny Elfman
1989 - "Batman" by Danny Elfman
1990 - "Home Alone" by John Williams
1991 - "Beauty and the Beast" by Alan Menken
1992 - "Aladdin" by Alan Menken
1993 - "Jurassic Park" by John Williams
1994 - "The Lion King" by Hans Zimmer
1995 - "Toy Story" by Randy Newman
1996 - "Space Jam" by Various Artists
1997 - "Titanic" by James Horner
1998 - "The Prince of Egypt" by Hans Zimmer
1999 - "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" by John Williams
2000 - "Gladiator" by Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard
2001 - "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by John Williams
2002 - "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" by Howard Shore
2003 - "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" by Klaus Badelt
2004 - "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by John Williams
2005 - "Batman Begins" by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
2006 - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" by Hans Zimmer
2007 - "Transformers" by Steve Jablonsky
2008 - "The Dark Knight" by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
2009 - "Up" by Michael Giacchino
2010 - "Inception" by Hans Zimmer
2011 - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" by Alexandre Desplat
2012 - "The Avengers" by Alan Silvestri
2013 - "Frozen" by Christophe Beck
2014 - "Interstellar" by Hans Zimmer
2015 - "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" by John Williams
2016 - "La La Land" by Justin Hurwitz
2017 - "Dunkirk" by Hans Zimmer
2018 - "Black Panther" by Ludwig Göransson
2019 - "Joker" by Hildur Guðnadóttir
2020 - "Soul" by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
2021 - "Dune" by Hans Zimmer
2022 - "Top Gun: Maverick" by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer, & Lorne Balfe
2023 - "Oppenheimer" by Ludwig Göransson
2024 - "Dune: Part Two" by Hans Zimmer
11
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:19 pm to RollTide1987
Top Gun over The Mission by Ennio Morricone? GTFO.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:30 pm to RollTide1987
2006 The Fountain by Clint Mansel was incredible. Worthy of revisiting that year imo
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:32 pm to RollTide1987
1968 - Once Upon a Time in the West
Posted on 2/21/25 at 8:49 pm to RollTide1987
Instead of going with the greatest film score of all time, you went with Dr. No. interesting choice. Not criticizing or saying it’s wrong or anything, just interesting going with Bond over Lawrence of Arabia. I guess I can see the reasons you would choose the way you did. The Bond theme is iconic and recognizable.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 9:12 pm to RollTide1987
Your list is shite for the most part and many aren’t “scores”
1992 - Last of the Mohicans
1993 - Jurassic Park
1994 - Legends of the Fall
1995 - Braveheart
1996 - The Rock (or Independence Day/Dragonheart)
1997 - Titanic
1998 - Armageddon (or Mask of Zorro or Thin Red Line)
1999 - Star Wars: Episode 1
2000 - Gladiator
2001 - LOTR Fellowship
2002 - LOTR Two Towers (or We Were Soldiers/Bubba Ho-Tep)
2003 - The Last Samurai (or LOTR King)
2004 - The Passion of the Christ
2005 - Batman Begins
1992 - Last of the Mohicans
1993 - Jurassic Park
1994 - Legends of the Fall
1995 - Braveheart
1996 - The Rock (or Independence Day/Dragonheart)
1997 - Titanic
1998 - Armageddon (or Mask of Zorro or Thin Red Line)
1999 - Star Wars: Episode 1
2000 - Gladiator
2001 - LOTR Fellowship
2002 - LOTR Two Towers (or We Were Soldiers/Bubba Ho-Tep)
2003 - The Last Samurai (or LOTR King)
2004 - The Passion of the Christ
2005 - Batman Begins
This post was edited on 2/21/25 at 9:21 pm
Posted on 2/21/25 at 9:42 pm to RollTide1987
What a run by John Williams from 75-93. People will be lost ending to those soundtracks in 100 years.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 9:44 pm to Froman
quote:
ust interesting going with Bond over Lawrence of Arabia. I guess I can see the reasons you would choose the way you did. The Bond theme is iconic and recognizable.
Yeah, play the overture of Lawrence of Arabia and most people will stare at you blankly. However, put on that Bond theme from 1962's Dr. No and everyone knows what you're talking about.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 9:47 pm to Boss
quote:
Top Gun over The Mission by Ennio Morricone? GTFO.
Because I'm sure most people instantly recognize Miserere over the Top Gun anthem.
You people need to read before you start posting. Iconic = recognizable. Most people are not going to recognize the music from The Mission because most people haven't seen the movie. However, that guitar solo from Top Gun is almost immediately recognizable to the general moviegoing public.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 9:51 pm to theunknownknight
quote:
theunknownknight
Another person who failed to grasp the assignment.
If I wanted to go with the "best' movie scores I would have done something closer to what you listed. However, there is a difference between the word "best" and the word "iconic."
This post was edited on 2/21/25 at 9:52 pm
Posted on 2/21/25 at 10:10 pm to RollTide1987
No Schindler’s List.
I don’t care how you define “iconic.”
That’s frickin’ dumb.
I don’t care how you define “iconic.”
That’s frickin’ dumb.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 10:53 pm to RollTide1987
I figured that was your line of thinking. You’re probably right too. I just personally really really love that opening score to Lawrence of Arabia.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 11:05 pm to RollTide1987
1992 should go to last of the Mohicans, not Aladdin.
Posted on 2/21/25 at 11:12 pm to BugAC
Honestly, that’s a solid list. I don’t agree with all of it, but I’d say I didn’t once say “What? That score is shite”
Funny, I just posted the other day how underrated the score for the first Transforners movie is.
Funny, I just posted the other day how underrated the score for the first Transforners movie is.
Posted on 2/22/25 at 9:19 am to RollTide1987
The piano in Godfather 1 is so good.
Posted on 2/22/25 at 2:28 pm to RollTide1987
Those Disney films you listed are songs, those belong in the most iconic movie songs in film history. But since it’s your list idgaf, just pointing it out that Let It Go is in no way shape or form a “score”
Posted on 2/22/25 at 2:49 pm to Frac the world
quote:
just pointing it out that Let It Go is in no way shape or form a “score”
Just so you know...this is a score:
The man who composed the score for Frozen (Christophe Beck) also composed the instrumental backings for the songs. As soon as you hear that opening piano number everyone knows what movie it's from.
Posted on 2/22/25 at 2:51 pm to BugAC
quote:
1992 should go to last of the Mohicans, not Aladdin.
Nope. Better =/= more iconic. The Last of the Mohicans score is awesome, but you can't tell me it's more widely recognized than the musical score from Aladdin.
Posted on 2/22/25 at 2:54 pm to bayoubengals88
quote:
I don’t care how you define “iconic.”
That’s frickin’ dumb.
I can't help you then. Because while I would agree that Schindler's List was the BEST score from calendar year 1993, literally everyone knows the theme to Jurassic Park.
This post was edited on 2/22/25 at 2:55 pm
Posted on 2/22/25 at 2:55 pm to Powerman
quote:
2006 The Fountain by Clint Mansel was incredible. Worthy of revisiting that year imo
Way better than a POTC re-hash.
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