Listen To The 20 Best Sci-Fi Movie Orchestral Scores Of All Time

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Listen To The 20 Best Sci-Fi Movie Orchestral Scores Of All Time

Date: Apr 4, 2012 | Author: GFR | Category: Sci-Fi

Science fiction fires the musical imaginations of composers unlike almost any other genre. It’s no accident that so many of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time were written to express the bombastic majesty of outer space, to convey the shock and awe of creatures beyond our reckoning, to blast across the screen with cars trailing fire as they rip a hole though the fabric of time. Music has become an indelible part of almost all of the greatest science fiction movies ever made, and some of the greatest music ever to appear on film has been in science fiction movies.

But which sci-fi score is the best? The GFR team spent some time listening to our favorite composers, cast votes, and came up with this list of greats. * Listen to selections from all twenty of the best orchestral scores ever composed for science fiction films, by clicking play on each item below. Let the music speak for itself.

1. Jurassic Park | composed by John Williams

2. Back to the Future | composed by Alan Silvestri

3. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | composed by Leonard Rosenman

4. Inception | composed by Hans Zimmer

5. Star Trek | composed by Michael Giacchino

6. Sunshine | composed by Underworld and John Murphy

7. Stargate | composed by David Arnold

8. Star Trek: The Motion Picture | composed by Jerry Goldsmith

9. Terminator 2: Judgement Day | composed by Brad Fiedel

10. Serenity | composed by David Newman

11. Alien | composed by Jerry Goldsmith

12. Akira | composed by Geinō Yamashirogumi

13. Close Encounters of the Third Kind | composed by John Williams

14. Star Wars | composed by John Williams

15. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | composed by John Williams

16. Total Recall | composed by Jerry Goldsmith

17. The Last Starfighter | composed by Craig Safan

18. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | composed by James Horner

19. RoboCop | composed by Basil Poledouris

20. Tron | composed by Wendy Carlos

* Note: 2001: A Space Odyssey’s soundtrack was ineligible for this list since it doesn’t contain original material but rather uses existing commercial recordings of classic music. Additionally excellent but non-orchestral scores for movies like Tron: Legacy and The Matrix were deemed ineligible for purposes of this list.

Comments

https://twitter.com/#!/haversam [A]

Where is [insert favourite score here]?!
- JT
  
  It’s funny because it’s true.
- Jdalemaitre
  
  Star Trek: First Contact
  - Baby Fart McGeeziaks
    
    First Contact is very much overlooked here. I went with Star Wars for being the most iconic in my opinion, but some of the music from First Contact (and it probably shows up in the other TNG movies as well) sends chills down my spine.
stevewest

I’m honestly surprised Star Wars didn’t make it into the top 10. But I’m supremely happy to see Serenity made it so high up. ”I’m a leaf on the wind…”
- JT
  
  The big surprise for me was Alien, I didn’t even think it would make the list. It’s more atmospheric than musical.
  
  It’s also sort of surprising that the original Star Trek movie score ended up lower in our vote tally than two of the sequels, but even though Star Trek IV uses a little of the TMP score it does so much completely different that it kind of makes sense.
  - http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
    
    All movie music is “atmosphere.”
- Me
  
  Star Wars was #1….
Samuel Jones

The Star Trek (2009) score drives me insane. It’s like the same 16 notes played as bombastically as possible, followed by filler that sounds like musicians just preparing their fingers and mouths for the next time they’re instructed to play those 16 bombastic notes again. I enjoyed the movie, but having to suffer through that theme every time a scene ends, every time we see space, every time a passage of time occurs, every time Kirk is hanging off a ledge, etc., makes repeat viewings very difficult.

But the other soundtracks on this list are cool.
- JT
  
  Those notes didn’t seem so repetitively used in the film to me, but even if they had been… wow those are 16 amazing notes. I really don’t think it’s possible to get sick of hearing them.
https://twitter.com/#!/haversam [A]

50% off-topic but.. I read once, in one of these BIG movie sites, that the Tron: Legacy score was written by Hans Zimmer and remixed by Daft Punk.. didn’t read that in any other site. And the guy who said it, it’s usually right about scoops and all that..
- JT
  
  I’m 90% sure there’s no way that’s true. It may be that Zimmer talked with them and gave them a few tips about doing a big sci-fi score since this was their first, but if you listen to Daft Punk’s previous work then listen to the Tron: Legacy score it’s sooo Daft Punk there’s just no way that’s possible.
JT

Note to anyone unfamiliar with the RoboCop score… stay with the the clip until 1:29 and you’ll see why it’s on the list. It’s kind of a slow malaise until then, but that theme at 1:29 is brilliant with or without the context of the movie. Really underrated soundtrack.
- https://twitter.com/#!/haversam [A]
  
  Yeah it is very good! I’d buy it for a dollar (oh well..)
- JohnnieMonkey
  
  It’s interesting how my opinion of the films is skewing my perceptions of the scores. I’m trying to listen objectively, but I just can’t manage it with Robocop. That film bored me SO much.
  - JT
    
    It’s definitely difficult. I think the votes in the poll kind of reflect that.
Jaja

Well, I’m voting for the 1968 Planet Of The Apes score by Jerry Goldsmith – unfortunatelly nobody writes film music like that anymore, everybody is trying to have pleasing motives not to confuse the viewers too much
- Baby Fart McGeeziaks
  
  It worked very well. I wouldn’t call it the best, but it was damn good. There was that whole crop of really disturbing Sci-Fi flicks from the late 60s and the 70s and the score of the original POTA really captured that disturbing tone perfectly.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=652875195 Mushroom Joseph Van Riper
  
  Thats exactly what I was going for too. Just finished a POTA marathon of the original films. Now moving onto the series’ and (skipping Tim Burton’s) the latest reboot.
Andrew Reese

Sunshine did have a very moving score. That plus the intensity of the acting really set a wonderful tone for the film. I showed it to my girlfriend and she loved it except for the end.
- JT
  
  I’m not a big fan of the movie, seemed like a missed opportunity, but the score really is fantastic.
  - http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
    
    Although I think Clint Mansell’s score for THE FOUNTAIN does a similar job much, much better. One of the best scores of all time, in any genre, I think.
    
    Cliff Martinez’s score for SOLARIS belongs on here, and (along that line) Eduard Artemyev’s score for STALKER. Of course, now you are into “Top 50″ tracks.
    - JT
      
      Love The Fountain score… but is that movie even sci-fi? I’ve always thought the future segments are more of a dream or a delusion.
      - http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
        
        It’s about reincarnation. The Tom character is living out three lives, and in each he is trying to defeat death, only to keep coming back. When he finally accepts death in the final (astronaut) lifetime, he stops being reincarnated and reaches nirvana (the star Xibalba), like the Buddha. But technically speaking, the film is only 1/3 sci-fi.
http://www.facebook.com/amaya.ramiel Amaya Ramiel

SF films wouldn’t be half as fun without John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith! They’ve contributed to such well-known and beloved themes! Love the list overall, and found it hard to vote. In the end, I had to go for the one that has caused the most impact, and the one that to this day, gives me chills every time it plays (SW), although the same is true for almost all of the other pieces!
http://www.spreethemovie.com/ Devon James1701

WTF is “The Voyage Home” doing on this list?!! It’s goddanmed Christmas music disguised as another movie soundtrack! Where the hell is James Horner’s “ALIENS” ?!
Where the hell is Basil Polidoris’ “Starship Troopers”?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5gLgkUYi84&feature=plcp&context=C410f064VDvjVQa1PpcFMW5ensZSsbvp_iwQ8rlgHCaRRbitKjmJw=
- JT
  
  Starship Troopers was definitely a contender, but it didn’t quite make the cut.
- http://www.facebook.com/ana.kauffmanhollon Ana Paula Kauffman-Hollon
  
  Hell yeahh i loveee starship troopers.. we need nice teams like that, but if the case there would be no such thing as ‘good movies’ The first starship troopers movie is the best the rest suck considering that it did not even the MAIN characters especially the third like where is my rico and carmen?
  - http://www.facebook.com/ana.kauffmanhollon Ana Paula Kauffman-Hollon
    
    that were the case*** have*
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Weltsch/100000168217181 Chris Weltsch

It’s worth noting none of the “Lord of the Rings” films are included on this list. Possibly because it’s categorized as fantasy, however it’s film score rivals even the best on this list. It’s a monumental achievement and hate to say it to you geeks but out masters the Star Wars “Saga” on so many levels…
- JT
  
  Correct. Lord of the Rings is very clearly fantasy so it’s ineligible, though the score for those films is wonderful.
- Aearrinn
  
  100% agree. Howard Shore is a musical genius and the score knocks everything else out of the running.
Amrond99

No brainer that number one should be Star Wars. It’s the film score that made me love listening to film scores. A great follow up poll would be what would your second favorite film score be. For me, a tie between Wrath of Khan and Back to the Future.
- http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
  
  I think that’s true for a generation or two of movie-goers… we got introduced to orchestral music, and then classical, through STAR WARS, of all things. For me, I listened to Star Wars first, then Isao Tomita’s take on Star Wars, then Isao Tomita’s takes on Stravinsky and DeBussy. then right to actual Stravinsky and DeBussy…etc.
http://www.facebook.com/knyte77 Andrew Knyte Ahiakpor

I love it!!!! Even though Wrath of Khan is my PERSONAL favorite, I do think Star Wars is the best of all time. Glad the results matched my feelings..
RickLavigne

Okies, 2 missing Trek Scores. Insurrection and First Contact.
DZ

I have a small collection of movie theme songs because they are such great musical pieces. I like many of the ones listed, but would also include Dune. I also love the opening theme for Men In Black. I am also tempted to include Indiana Jones because it almost seems like pseudo science fiction, like some of the things in the old Wild Wild West show. The Moonraker theme is also great (a few sci-fi elements for its time).
Skuppy

No Bladerunner?
Joe Freitas

Really? No Blade Runner from Vangelis?
Ge205

Farscape, Seasons One and Two. Just because the music was radically different than from the typical sci-fi movies and shows.
- Ge205
  
  Oops… that’s not a movie. Never mind!
Victor

All great themes. There is a lesser known movie called “Stranded” released in 2002. The closing credits theme is awesome.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=649462623 Amy Andrews

Star Trek: First Contact & Dune
Aearrinn

The Jurassic Park soundtrack was my first love, but WHERE IS LORD OF THE RINGS??? Howard Shore is a musical genius and it is by far the best soundtrack I have ever heard. It’s moving and vivid, you can see the movie as you listen. The music for Shelob and the wraiths is creepy and gives you chills, Sarumans music is unsettling, elvish music is ethereal and almost unreal, and the hobbit music transports you to a place where food and song and beer is treasured above hoarded gold, as Tolkien would have said.
Mike_Sweeney

Wheres the theme from Predator JT?
- JT
  
  Predator score didn’t make the cut. Here it is if you’re craving a listen though: http://youtu.be/rIewdGqWRPI
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sherilyn-Beeson/1418929677 Sherilyn Beeson

Ok, not going to lie, the quality of the piece selected from Inception is terrible, plus that is in no way the best song to use. It’s not even a song. Someone took “the best” snippets of each song and mashed it together. That ruins the whole point of Hans Zimmer composition. If you’re going to select a good representational song for Inception, use the song Dream is Collapsing. Most of the major themes are highlighted in that song and there is no distraction of piecing songs together.
Now that I’m done with my rant about that, I have two more things to add. One: John Williams has no originality. He is good at writing quick marches and fanfares, but his music lacks deep soulful emotion. In most scifi cases, there is not a lot of need for the deep music, so him being a huge part of this genre is very acceptable. But to ever assign him the title of “best composer ever” is complete bs. Just because he wrote the fanfare for Star Wars and that’s your ultimate favorite movie ever, doesn’t make him the most versatile or the best. Just look at the Harry Potter soundtracks. The one’s he wrote lack the depth of the other movies written by composers such as Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and (my personal favorite) Alexandre Desplat.
Now. To those who are slamming Michael Giacchino’s Star Trek (2009) score, think of this: He is attempting to continue a series that you have all grown up with and loved for forever. You will say they suck simply because anything new “sucks.” This score has that versatile sound that’s so highly desired in movies of other genres. He can capture a love theme and then blow up a ship all within 3 minutes. And if you want to go as far as to say he just “repeats” his themes, check out some of these other scores. THEY ALL DO THAT. That’s why it’s called a theme, it’s supposed to repeat. And he doesn’t just use “a few notes.” I’ve played with a few of the pieces from his score (by ear, I wish I had the music) and the range he puts both in his orchestrations and to the instruments in incredible.
If you couldn’t tell, soundtracks are something I’m passionate about. If you want to argue with me, please feel free.
- JT
  
  It is incredibly hard, nearly impossible to find clips to use from any of these scores. We spent a TON of time looking for these and did the best we could. If you really want high-definition quality the only way to get it is to actually go out and buy the music and put it on your hard drive. This is as good as it gets, for free. Again… FREE! :)
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Sherilyn-Beeson/1418929677 Sherilyn Beeson
    
    Yeah I totally get that. I think the reason I feel so aggressive about that is because it’s one of my all time soundtracks and I tend to be extremely defensive about anything Hans Zimmer has composed in general. Overall I think this is a really good list and it’s diverse (as diverse as you can get within one specific genre.) It’s also very realistic. Most people pick their favorite soundtracks according to their favorite movie (if this were case, Star Wars would be considered “the best”) and not to the actual quality of the work.
    - JT
      
      Agreed. It’s really hard to separate your feelings for the movie from the soundtrack. For instance I’m not a big fan of Sunshine as a movie, but really glad the score made our list.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sherilyn-Beeson/1418929677 Sherilyn Beeson

Transformers (1&3, 2 not so much) – Steve Jablonsky
Ted

Nothing by Steve Jablonsky anywhere? Steamboy? One of the terrible new Transformers movies?
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris

Sorry, no GODZILLA?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Davy-Bible/618118720 Davy Bible

I’m surprised as shit that Superman (1978) didn’t make the list! The score for that movie is epic as all hell!
- JT
  
  We generally try to stay away from superheroes on GFR, to focus more on straight up sci-fi. While technically some of them are science fiction, superheroes are almost a separate genre all their own.
  
  The Superman score is, however, tremendous.
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris

Good catch. one of the most iconic soundtracks of any film in any genre!
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris

If you’re up for it, I’d bet a Top 50 version of this would be a big-hitting piece. A lot of work, I know, but this was a great article, guys. Kudos!
- JT
  
  Thanks Chris!
Nathan Fustec

Excuse me, because this is a rather good list (even if I’m not a fan of The Voyage Home’s soundtrack and First Contact gives me shivers…) but I am very puzzled by seeing Wendy Carlos’ (amazing) electronic score being deemed “orchestral”. Honestly if this is orchestral then where is The Matrix (whose score is mostly orchestral made to sound sampled, and that’s the beauty of it))?

And yes… you really don’t like Blade Runner do you?
- JT
  
  Actually much of the Tron score was recorded using a traditional orchestra. She also incorporated sythesizers, but it really is an orchestral score, even if it doesn’t sound like it.
Nathan Fustec

Has my comment been deleted by any chance? I wanted to answer the answer by wondering that if the Tron soundtrack was part orchestral (thanks to have brought this to my attention) how is The Matrix’s one ineligible?
- http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
  
  The comments are a little wonky. Mine appear out of sequence, or not at all.
- JT
  
  Your comment is there, I still see it right above this one… and I answer it too. Not sure why you don’t see it!
  - Nathan Fustec
    
    Yeah spotted got the controls wrong! Still don’t know what makes Matrix ineligible though (orchestral mainly, maybe not “thematic” enough (as Star Wars is…)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Eric-Klaebe/740582814 Eric Klaebe

Blade Runner – Vangelis. How could this possibly be missed off the list!!!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=550311101 Darren Mearns

My vote goes to Gattaca and Michael Nyman – which didn’t make the list. One of the best minimal composers of all time!
Artoxx

So I can only assume that the Lord of the Rings soundtracks were ineligible due to the fact those movies are Fantasy and not Sci Fi? Because they are without a doubt the best.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=550311101 Darren Mearns

Gattaca OST – The Morrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LeB8_by65A
Earth Academy Records, London.

CONTACT!! (Alan Silvestri) & Star Trek: GENERATIONS (Dennis McCarthy) ….both fantastic scores. I also love TRON LEGACY (but Carlos was the right choice here theme wise) and the latest Star Trek movie’s score is quite enthralling. ps. Jurassic park shouldn’t be number one, it isn’t really Sci-Fi either, it certainly shouldn’t be above Star Wars! or CE3K! And Jerry Goldsmith’s Star Trek is the most important one.
earthacademy.org

ooops I missed out SOLARIS (remake). Fantastic. And AVATAR. Kick out Jurassic Park, its brilliant but belongs in the same group with King Kong, and Indiana Jones.
T Luz

I find it a bit curious that there are no scores on this list from before 1977.

I can think of several iconic sci-fi scores from the 1950s: Bernard Hermann’s amazing theremin-enfused score for The Day the Earth Stood Still and Louis and Bebe Barron’s groundbreaking electronic score for Forbidden Planet would certainly seem to rate a place here. I also would have liked to have seen Akira Ifukube’s wonderfully grim music for the first Godzilla movie.

But I’m really surprised to not see Vangelis’ Blade Runner score. Was that ineligible for some reason?
- http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
  
  Forbidden Planet! I am kicking myself for not thinking of it. I listen to that all the time. The Bladerunner oversight is strange, although I think it’s just really, really hard to take an entire genre and boil it down to 20 soundtracks.
- JT
  
  Actually it makes sense. Most of the sci-fi movies (with a few notable exceptions) made before Star Wars changed the game in1977 were cheesy pulp. Additionally, big orchestral scores weren’t really as widely used either, particularly not on those cheesy pulp movies. Music was used differently in music back then.
  - Nathan Fustec
    
    I have to respectfully disagree on the fact that massive orchestral scores weren’t that common in films before the 70′s… unless of course you refer strictly to Sci-Fi. But then again I can think of a few by Jerry Goldsmith (like Seconds and Planet Of The Apes which are both marvellous) which really weren’t cheesy pulp.
    
    And actually if you go before the late 30′s you did have massive science fiction films that did have a great score like Metropolis (although the score has only been rerecorded recently for the new DVD version) or King Kong (even if I personally have difficulties deeming it sci-fi). And what about Fahrenheit 451? Or La Jetée (on which 12 Monkeys was based)? Or Alphaville? And The Illustrated Man? Surely these aren’t pulp, are they?
    
    And yes it’s really hard to boil down an entire genre to 20 soundtracks but if you take out Akira you could have narrowed the list to only US films and then it would have made more sense maybe. All I see here is bombastic US sci-fi and not necessarily mind-blowing not too much relying on SFX non-US sci-fi (like Tarkovski, Chris Marker…)
  - T Luz
    
    I think it’s a bit dismissive to write off so much of sci-fi before 77 as cheesy pulp. Sure there was a lot of that but there’s still a lot of that now. And remember, much of it is perspective. When we have more years behind us, there’s a lot of stuff on the list above that may end up being viewed the same way.
    
    But big orchestra scores were certainly just as popular then, even more so in some ways since there was a lot less electronic work at the time. Just think of the great scores for War of the Worlds, the Thing from Another World,20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the Incredible Shrinking Man and if you consider it sci-fi, as many do, Franz Waxman’s superb score for Bride of Frankenstein. There’s also Henry Mancini’s great work on Creature from the Black Lagoon and Hermann’s scores for Journey to the Center of the Earth and Mysterious Island.
    
    Now understandably not all of those are at a level of quality high enough to make it onto a best-of list, but I think it’s a shame if our appreciation for such great work in the field doesn’t extend beyond the films we grew up with.
http://profile.yahoo.com/ZNVJ6QZ3I4DTT2G2ZJ7C6HSMA4 Steve

No love for Space:1999 sadly. Barry Gray’s orchestral arrangement was original and inspiring music for a TV sci fi show from the mid-70′s.
- http://www.facebook.com/christopher.paris1 Chris Paris
  
  For me, UFO is superior.
Notpc48

Another good one that wasn’t mentioned is the 2010 movie “Space Battleship Yamato”.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sergio-Perez/100002167135299 Sergio Perez

Wow how can you chose?
timsmoviemission.blogspot.com

Superman: The Movie is probably rightfully classified in the superhero genre, but I want to mention it for not just its main theme, but its fantastic outer space track, “The Planet Krypton.” (Superman’s an alien, so maybe it’s a cross-over film?) John Williams makes everything better.
DZ

The Final Countdown
youtube.com/watch?v=b13JNlwuti4
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=224900103 Eric Armstrong

Pretty thrilled to see 4 different Star Trek films on the list!
Ilikegemenc

why no Colonial Anthem? Surely BSG deserves a mention here…
Baby Fart McGeeziaks

Between the Imperial March, the opening crawl, the cantina and the scene with look gazing out upon the moons of Tatooine… Star Wars wins hands down in my opinion. None the less a lot of the Trek films had great music (but I honestly mix them up and I lean a little more TNG than this list does) and ET, Back to the Future and especially Jurassic Park certainly have their moments. Akira was bizarre but pretty cool, and I think that bizarre but cool music fit the bizarre but cool tone of the film.
Linda Johnson

I vote for the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- Linda Johnson
  
  Just read the Note. Harrumph.
Tim

John Carpenter - The Thing (1982)
http://www.facebook.com/DarthClide Jonathan Cross

After I voted for Stargate, I am so happy to see Serenity at second place. IMO, I wish people weren’t so geeked out by the star wars main theme… Sure it is great, but that is a given. Maybe try to think of what else sounds great for once?
Karl Johnson

It’s a shame that Klaus Badelt’s soundtrack for the Time Machine remake isn’t on the list as it’s a great score. I’m sad that Tron:Legacy doesn’t meet the criteria as it’s seems to me to be orchestral in major parts (even if the actual sound wasn’t produced by an orchestra!). Why did you limit it to that?

First Contact is an excellent score too and it’s nice to see Giacchino’s Star Trek in the list.

I assume that anything by Steve Jablonski (The Island, Transformers) is excluded as non-orchestral?
TK521

I have to give props to T2, it was one of my first sci-fi loves aside from Star Wars (which I knew would probably win and don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a Star Wars fan since I was 3 years old and will be for life, also grew up on the originals and don’t care for the prequels at all aside from Episode III), but T2′s soundtrack was simply a masterpiece. It made the action scenes even more high-paced, especially with the T-1000, and I can’t begin to describe how much it adds to the emotional parts and captures that gripping sense of human survival and what it means to actually fight the future.

That said, I’m surprised T1 isn’t also on this list as it’s heavily underrated. Yes it does feature one or two “non-original” songs, but so does T2 (You Could Be Mine, by Gn’R).

Giant Freakin Robot