10 Best Original Sound Tracks.

Hildur Guðnadóttir was only the first woman to ever win an Academy Award for film score composing. This is a devastating fact attached to powerful music that surpasses the flaws of Joker and renders the film at least worth experiencing once (next to Joaquin Phoenix).

As overly sentimental as John Williams can be, he was one of the best conjurers of entire lifetimes within a few notes in film history. E.T. for instance, contains all of the explorations across galaxies that the feature film portrays, and you relive it every time the theme – or any song from the feature – is played.

There were plenty of musicians that could have matched the manic energy of Jack Nicholson’s Joker in song, but few could have dutifully explored that mania with the poise and promise of Prince. With “Batdance”, Prince brings you into Joker’s disjointed and hysterical mind, while other songs make his casual chaos feel exciting and entertaining, helping make this the best version of the iconic villian for nearly 20 years. 

Prince also helped Batman come to life as well, easing the transition from print to film and giving the vigilante color and depth within Tim Burton’s dark, dark world.

Barry Jenkins set out to make his own Wong Kar-Wai film with Moonlight, and he succeeded emphatically. Part of this illusion came from Nicholas Britell’s swirling score, which carries tons of emotional weight, and hugs its audience with such empathy and understanding.

Trent and Atticus score for The Social Network was revolutionary. The digital fuzz and obsidian brooding of these minimalist tracks actually feel current now, whereas they were once the sounds of the distant future.

Nino Rota’s scores for both of the first Godfather films go hand-in-hand together, as if he was aware that there was still work to do after the first picture. Both films carried some of the greatest melodies of the gangster genre, especially because a level of prestige was now presented in a previously purely gritty category.

Nino Rota’s scores for both of the first Godfather films go hand-in-hand Steven Spielberg wanted to tip his hat to the adventure works of yesteryear with Raiders of the Lost Ark, and John Williams was happy to comply. Instead, Williams made what sounded like an instantly memorable television theme song that was destined to headline a series of franchises (as well as a collection of dynamically enticing compositions to accompany discovery, mystery, and the element of surprise).

With his partnership with Christopher Nolan, it has become expected of Hans Zimmer to create musical perfection. Well, it’s been eight years, and I feel comfortable enough saying that Interstellar is one of his finest efforts worthy of such a discussion; if anything, it could be Zimmer at his most moving.

Come on. John Williams’ greatest achievement is a series of accomplishments. Firstly, his various themes – meant to accompany characters and settings – became their own characters and settings that one can identify instantly. Secondly, he was able to array a series of notes in such a specific and untouchable way a number of times for Star Wars. Then, he did so again for The Empire Strikes Back. Then again. 

And again. And again. And again. I won’t pretend like his most recent Star Wars scores hold up nearly as well (although they’re just as great as you’d expect), but there’s no sense in separating any of these works. John Williams is the lifeblood of Star Wars through and through.

Vangelis was setting out to make music for dystopias with his Blade Runner score and its many ethereal synths. He actually helped change the landscape for electronic music entirely. I guess that’s what happens when you try to make the music of the future, right? Whether it’s creating anthems for a new age, wrapping up with the most exciting end credits rhythms of all of cinema, or presenting you with the angelic harmonies of a world destroyed by 

technology, Vangelis’ Blade Runner score is unmatched, and as listenable as an album on its own as it is effective within a science fiction classic.