The Greatest Film Scores of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated January 8, 2020 216.9k votes 23.8k voters 534.6k views557 items

List Rules"Film score" refers to the instrumental background music that plays throughout the movie, not the soundtrack

This list contains greatest movie themes and scores ever recorded, chosen by the Ranker community. (NOTE: This list is for film SCORES, the instrumental music from movies. We also have a list of The Greatest Movie Soundtracks, designed for collections of songs taken from films.) These are the most iconic, memorable themes and collections of background music ever.

Film scores also include dialogue and special effects. This means you should rank the film scores on how important you think they were in delivering the atmosphere the film was trying to achieve?

Photo:

...more

1
3,903
1,682
Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks, Sally Field
Released: 1994
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the... more
More Forrest Gump
16 Extremely Messed Up Things About Forrest Gump That'll Change How You See It#27 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever
2
3,241
2,016
Jurassic Park
Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum
Released: 1993
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg.... more
More Jurassic Park
Here's Just How Wrong Jurassic Park Is About Dinosaurs#14 of 14 Movies That Threw Book Endings Out The Window Completely
3
2,560
1,595
The Lion King
Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons
Released: 1994
Directed by: Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical epic film produced by Walt Disney Feature... more
More The Lion King
'The Lion King' Fan Theories That Just Might Be True#1 of 9 The Best Soundtracks and Scores by Elton John
4
1,100
670
2001: A Space Odyssey
Arthur C. Clarke, Leonard Rossiter
Released: 1968
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley... more
More 2001: A Space Odyssey
#87 of 230 The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time#148 of 450 The Best Movies For Guys
5
1,669
1,096
Braveheart
Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau
Released: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical medieval war drama film directed by and starring Mel... more
More Braveheart
#9 of 275 The Best Movies Based On True Stories#23 of 340 The Best Political Films Ever Made
6
1,541
1,074
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Drew Barrymore, Erika Eleniak
Released: 1982
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction-family film co-produced and... more
More E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
The Dark Story Behind The Canceled Sequel To 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'#35 of 512 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
7
2,162
1,332
Gladiator
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix
Released: 2000
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Gladiator is a 2000 American-British epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott,... more
More Gladiator
Gladiator Might Be One of The Most Historically Inaccurate Movies Ever#37 of 46 Movies That Won Best Picture at the Oscars and Golden Globes
8
2,066
1,520
Rocky
Sylvester Stallone, Joe Frazier
Released: 1976
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. A small-time boxer... more
More Rocky
#9 of 553 The Best '70s Movies#30 of 152 Movies That Should Never Be Remade
9
1,683
1,179
Schindlers List
Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Released: 1993
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Schindler's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama, directed and co-produced by... more
More Schindler's List
#3 of 221 The Greatest World War II Movies of All Time#1 of 170 The Most Utterly Depressing Movies Ever Made
10
2,774
2,107
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach
Released: 1966
Directed by: Sergio Leone
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic Spaghetti Western film directed by... more
More The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
#10 of 28 Civil War Movies List#51 of 103 The Very Best Movie Franchises
11
1,381
754
The Last of the Mohicans
Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe
Released: 1992
Directed by: Michael Mann
Randy Eldermann
The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical epic film set in 1757 and produced by Morgan... more
More The Last of the Mohicans
#31 of 399 The Best Western Movies Ever Made#94 of 126 The Greatest Date Movies Of All Time
12
3,235
2,224
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Harrison Ford, Alfred Molina
Released: 1981
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The... more
More Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
12 Stories That Prove The Making Of 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark' Was An Adventure Behind The Scenes Too#2 of 33 The Best Steven Spielberg Movies
13
911
678
Chariots of Fire
Stephen Fry, Kenneth Branagh
Released: 1981
Directed by: Hugh Hudson
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama film. It tells the fact-based story of two... more
More Chariots of Fire
#60 of 204 The Best Sports Movies Ever Made#20 of 91 The Best Movies With Christian Themes

14
5,218
3,749
Star Wars
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1977
Directed by: George Lucas
Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The... more
More Star Wars
The Most Hated Star Wars Villains#2 of 167 The Best Science Fiction Action Movies
15
2,186
1,542
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe
Released: 2001
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States, India and Pakistan as... more
More Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Subtle Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone Details Fans Noticed#11 of 84 Great Movies That Take Place in Autumn
16
2,109
1,190
The Dark Knight
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Released: 2008
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, based on the DC Comics... more
More The Dark Knight
Fan Theories About Heath Ledger's Joker#1 of 177 The Greatest Comic Book Movies Of All Time
17
2,365
1,716
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley
Released: 2003
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 American fantasy swashbuckler... more
More Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
The Best Characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies#680 of 922 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
18
2,065
1,109
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1980
Directed by: Irvin Kershner
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner.... more
More Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
20 Subtle Details You Likely Missed When Watching 'Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'#2 of 154 The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
19
768
552
The Sound of Music
Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Released: 1965
Directed by: Robert Wise
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film produced and directed by Robert Wise... more
More The Sound of Music
12 Facts We Learned About 'The Sound of Music' That Just Became A Few Of Our Favorite Things#55 of 781 The Greatest Chick Flicks Ever Made
20
1,415
884
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Harrison Ford, Sean Connery
Released: 1989
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 American adventure film directed by Steven... more
More Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Best Characters in the Whole Indiana Jones Franchise, Ranked#11 of 541 The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies
21
1,715
1,315
Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Released: 1997
Directed by: James Cameron
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed by James Cameron. A... more
More Titanic
20 Small But Poignant Details From 'Titanic' That Make Us Never Want To Let Go#7 of 50 The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked
22
2,244
1,619
Jaws
Steven Spielberg, Richard Dreyfuss
Released: 1975
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter... more
More Jaws
Behind The Scenes Of Every Death In ‘Jaws’#43 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies
23
2,484
1,674
Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Released: 2010
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Inception is a 2010 science fiction thriller film written, produced, and directed by... more
More Inception
10 'Inception' Fan Theories That Left Us More Confused Than We Already Were#1 of 19 The Best Movies Coming to Netflix in February 2021

24
2,505
1,940
The Godfather
Al Pacino, Marlon Brando
Released: 1972
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the... more
More The Godfather
How 'The Godfather' Became An American Classic Even Though It Was 'Nightmarish' Behind The Scenes#2 of 369 The Best Movies Based On Books
25
1,020
831
Psycho
Alfred Hitchcock, Janet Leigh
Released: 1960
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Psycho is a 1960 American horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film centers on an... more
More Psycho
#8 of 24 The Best Movies with Twist Endings#24 of 114 The Best Intelligent Horror Movies