Favorite Composers

1. Yann Tiersen

Composer | Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain

Yann Tiersen was born on June 23, 1970 in Brest, Finistère, France. He is a composer and writer, known for Amélie (2001), Good Bye Lenin! (2003) and Inescapable (2012).

A classmate of director Sergio Leone with whom he would form one of the great director/composer partnerships (right up there with Eisenstein & Prokofiev, Hitchcock & Herrmann, Fellini & Rota), Ennio Morricone studied at Rome's Santa Cecilia Conservatory, where he specialized in trumpet. His first ...

3. Vangelis

Composer | Blade Runner

Vangelis was a composer and performer who worked almost exclusively with electronic instruments. With Jean-Michel Jarre and Mike Oldfield in the 1970s, Vangelis was a pioneer in the instrumental music and a main influence in the creation of the musical genre "new age," a style related to spiritual,...

4. John Williams

Composer | Jurassic Park

As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is "America's composer" time and again. With a massive list of awards that includes over 52 Oscar ...

5. Ramin Djawadi

Composer | Game of Thrones

Ramin Djawadi is an Iranian-German film score composer known for composing the hit HBO series Game of Thrones and the Marvel films Blade: Trinity, Iron Man and Eternals. He also composed Clash of the Titans, A Wrinkle in Time, Pacific Rim, Westworld, Gears of War 4 and 5, Medal of Honor, Open ...

6. Alexandre Desplat

Composer | The King's Speech

Composer and conductor Alexandre Desplat, Oscar winner and seven-time Academy Award nominated, for his prolific filmography and his collaborations with Stephen Frears, Terrence Malick, Ang Lee, Kathryn Bigelow, Jacques Audiard, Wes Anderson, Roman Polanski, George Clooney or Matteo Garrone is one ...

7. Howard Shore

Music_department | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Howard Shore is a Canadian composer, born in Toronto. He was born in a Jewish family. He started studying music when 8-years-old, and played as a member of bands by the time he was 13-years-old. He was interested in a professional career in music as a teenager. He studied music at the Berklee ...

8. Cliff Martinez

Composer | Only God Forgives

Cliff Martinez was born on February 5, 1954 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Only God Forgives (2013), The Neon Demon (2016) and Drive (2011).

9. Trent Reznor

Soundtrack | The Social Network

Trent Reznor is an American songwriter/musician/producer and sole member of multi-platinum act Nine Inch Nails, and now an Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy Award winning film composer. He began creating music as a child in Western Pennsylvania, first on piano and then taking up other instruments. He ...

10. Atticus Ross

Soundtrack | The Social Network

Atticus Ross was born on January 16, 1968 in England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Social Network (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and Mank (2020). He has been married to Claudia Sarne since 2001. They have three children.

11. Javier Navarrete

Composer | El laberinto del fauno

Javier Navarrete was born in 1956 in Teruel, Aragón, Spain. He is a composer, known for Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Wrath of the Titans (2012) and Byzantium (2012).

12. Jóhann Jóhannsson

Composer | Last and First Men

Jóhann Jóhannsson was born on September 19, 1969 in Reykjavík, Iceland. He was a composer and writer, known for Last and First Men (2020), The Theory of Everything (2014) and Sicario (2015). He died on February 9, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

13. Michael Giacchino

Composer | Star Trek

Michael Giacchino is an American composer of music for films, television and video games.

Giacchino composed the scores to the television series Lost, Alias and Fringe, the video game series Medal of Honor and Call of Duty and many films such as The Incredibles (2004), Star Trek (2009), Up (2009), ...

14. Bernard Herrmann

Composer | North by Northwest

The man behind the low woodwinds that open Citizen Kane (1941), the shrieking violins of Psycho (1960), and the plaintive saxophone of Taxi Driver (1976) was one of the most original and distinctive composers ever to work in film. He started early, winning a composition prize at the age of 13 and ...

15. Philip Glass

Soundtrack | The Truman Show

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Glass worked in his father's radio store and discovered music listening to the offbeat Western classical records customers didn't seem to want. He studied the violin and flute, and obtained early admission to the University of Chicago. After graduating in mathematics ...

16. Nino Rota

Composer | The Godfather

Born in Milan in 1911 into a family of musicians, Nino Rota was first a student of Orefice and Pizzetti. Then, still a child, he moved to Rome where he completed his studies at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia in 1929 with Alfredo Casella. In the meantime, he had become an 'enfant prodige', famous...

17. Carter Burwell

Composer | Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Carter Burwell was born on November 18, 1954 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Carol (2015) and The Banshees of Inisherin (2022). He has been married to Christine Sciulli since 1999.

18. DeVotchKa

Soundtrack | Little Miss Sunshine

DeVotchKa is known for Little Miss Sunshine (2006), I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) and Ruby Sparks (2012).

19. Arcade Fire

Soundtrack | Her

Arcade Fire is known for Her (2013), The Hunger Games (2012) and Love and Monsters (2020).

20. Krishna Levy

Composer | 8 femmes

Krishna Levy was born on May 27, 1964. He is a composer, known for 8 Women (2002), The Fall (2006) and Le nouveau protocole (2008).

21. Hans Zimmer

Composer | Gladiator

German-born composer Hans Zimmer is recognized as one of Hollywood's most innovative musical talents. He featured in the music video for The Buggles' single "Video Killed the Radio Star", which became a worldwide hit and helped usher in a new era of global entertainment as the first music video to ...

22. Clint Mansell

Composer | Black Swan

Clinton Darryl Mansell is an English singer, musician and film composer known for his collaborations with Darren Aronofsky. He composed Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, Black Swan, The Wrestler, Noah, Ghost in the Shell, Peacemaker, Doom Patrol, Loving Vincent, Mass Effect 3, Titans, World ...

23. Jonny Greenwood

Soundtrack | The Master

Jonny Greenwood was born on November 5, 1971 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Master (2012), There Will Be Blood (2007) and Phantom Thread (2017). He has been married to Sharona Katan since 1995. They have three children.

24. Bernard Herrmann

Composer | North by Northwest

The man behind the low woodwinds that open Citizen Kane (1941), the shrieking violins of Psycho (1960), and the plaintive saxophone of Taxi Driver (1976) was one of the most original and distinctive composers ever to work in film. He started early, winning a composition prize at the age of 13 and ...

25. Clark

Composer | Lisey's Story

Clark is known for Lisey's Story (2021), Daniel Isn't Real (2019) and Kiri (2018).

26. Geoff Barrow

Composer | Archive 81

Born in North Somerset, England in 1971. A founding member of UK band Portishead, Geoff Barrow is also known for his film composing work - Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010), Couple in a Hole (2015), and with Ben Salisbury - Ex Machina (2014) Free Fire (2016) Black Mirror (2016) Annihilation (2018) ...

27. Ben Salisbury

Composer | Annihilation

Ben Salisbury was born in London in December 1970. He is best known for his collaboration with Geoff Barrow as composer on the films Annihilation, Ex Machina and Free Fire. He has composed the music for over 50 natural history films, including the last 3 of David Attenborough's 'Life Of..' strand, ...

28. Colin Stetson

Composer | Hereditary

Colin Stetson was born in 1975 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Hereditary (2018), Red Dead Redemption II (2018) and Color Out of Space (2019).

29. Mark Mothersbaugh

Composer | Thor: Ragnarok

Graduate of Woodridge High School in Peninsula, Ohio.

Attended Kent State University (1970-73) in Kent, Ohio, to focus on attaining an art degree. While at Kent State Mothersbaugh met Jerry Casale and Bob Lewis, who ultimately joined him in forming the 1970-80s avant-garde band Devo.

Awarded an ...

30. Disasterpeace

Composer | It Follows

Disasterpeace is known for It Follows (2014), Under the Silver Lake (2018) and Triple Frontier (2019).

31. John Carpenter

Writer | The Fog

John Howard Carpenter was born in Carthage, New York, to mother Milton Jean (Carter) and father Howard Ralph Carpenter. His family moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where his father, a professor, was head of the music department at Western Kentucky University. He attended Western Kentucky ...

32. Jon Brion

Composer | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Jon Brion was born on December 11, 1963 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), The Other Guys (2010) and Step Brothers (2008).

33. Tangerine Dream

Composer | Thief

The pioneering German collective Tangerine Dream has been delivering their distinctive style of ambient music for nearly three decades, laying down a foundation of sound textures and sonic imagery that has influenced many of today's electronic musicians. Founded in 1967 by fine art aficinado Edgar ...

34. Fatima Al Qadiri

Composer | Atlantique

Fatima Al Qadiri is known for Atlantics (2019), The Grandmother (2021) and Skincare.

35. Daniel Lopatin

Composer | Good Time

Daniel Lopatin was born on July 25, 1982 in Wayland, Massachusetts, USA. He is a composer and writer, known for Good Time (2017), Uncut Gems (2019) and The Bling Ring (2013).

36. Stefan Will

Composer | Phoenix

Stefan Will was born in Fulda, Hesse, Germany. Stefan is a composer and writer, known for Phoenix (2014), Freud (2020) and Burning Days (2022).

37. Stefan Will

Composer | Phoenix

Stefan Will was born in Fulda, Hesse, Germany. Stefan is a composer and writer, known for Phoenix (2014), Freud (2020) and Burning Days (2022).

38. Dan Levy

Composer | J'ai perdu mon corps

Dan Levy was born on June 14, 1976 in Paris, France. He is a composer and actor, known for I Lost My Body (2019), I Origins (2014) and Raw (2016).

39. Mark Korven

Composer | The VVitch: A New-England Folktale

Mark Korven is known for The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015), The Lighthouse (2019) and The Black Phone (2021).

40. Hildur Guðnadóttir

Composer | Joker

Hildur Guðnadóttir was born on September 4, 1982 in Iceland. She is a composer, known for Joker (2019), Women Talking (2022) and Tár (2022). She is married to Sam Slater. They have one child.

41. Wendy Carlos

Soundtrack | Ready Player One

Wendy Carlos, one of the great innovators in synthesized and electronic music, was born as Walter Carlos in Rhode Island on November 14, 1939. She underwent a sex-change operation in 1972, details of which she revealed during a surprise Playboy interview in 1979. Walter's last credited release is "...

42. Nicholas Britell

Composer | Moonlight

Three-time Academy Award-nominated composer and pianist Nicholas Britell is known for his critically acclaimed scores on feature films with Academy Award winning writer-directors Barry Jenkins and Adam McKay. In 2018, Britell wrote the highly acclaimed score for Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could...

43. Joe Hisaishi

Composer | Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi

Joe Hisaishi was born on December 6, 1950 in Nakano, Japan. He is a composer and director, known for Spirited Away (2001), The Boy and the Heron (2023) and Fireworks (1997). He is married to Ayame Fujisawa . They have one child.

44. Thom Yorke

Soundtrack | Suspiria

Thom Yorke was born on October 7, 1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for Suspiria (2018), Children of Men (2006) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019). He was previously married to Rachel Owen.

45. Benoît Charest

Composer | Les triplettes de Belleville

Benoît Charest was born in 1964 in Canada. He is a composer and actor, known for The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Upside Down (2012) and Polytechnique (2009).

46. Michael Abels

Composer | Nope

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels is well known for his genre-defying scores for the Jordan Peele films 'Get Out,' 'Us,' and 'Nope.' The score for 'Us' won a World Soundtrack Award, the Jerry Goldsmith Award, a Critics Choice nomination, multiple critics awards, and was named "Score of ...

47. David Wingo

Composer | Midnight Special

David Wingo got his start composing music for films in David Gordon Green's debut feature George Washington, collaborating on the score with Michael Linnen. The movie went on to win numerous awards and eventually released on DVD by the Criterion Collection. Wingo and Linnen collaborated again on ...

48. Gustavo Santaolalla

Music_department | Brokeback Mountain

Argentine musician and leader of the now defunct bands "Arco Iris" and "Soluna", Gustavo Santaolalla was one of the references of his country's national music by the end of the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s. During the 70s he relocated to the United States, where he formed the band Wet Picnic, ...

49. Broadcast

Soundtrack | 21

Broadcast is known for 21 (2008), Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and Donkey Punch (2008).

50. Mogwai

Soundtrack | Miami Vice

Mogwai is known for Miami Vice (2006), The Fountain (2006) and Wicker Park (2004).

51. Amie Doherty

Composer | She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Irish composer Amie Doherty recently made history as the first woman to score a DreamWorks animated feature film with the 2021 summer release 'Spirit Untamed', starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore, & Eiza Gonzalez. Fresh off of scoring Marvel Studios' latest hit series, 'She-Hulk: Attorney at ...

52. Joshua Moshier

Composer | The Shrink Next Door

Joshua Moshier is known for The Shrink Next Door (2021), Baskets (2016) and Documentary Now! (2015).

53. Dan Romer

Composer | Beasts of the Southern Wild

Dan Romer is an award-winning composer, songwriter and music producer based in Los Angeles. Romer's scores include Station Eleven (HBO MAX), Pixar's latest feature, Luca (Disney+), four-time Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild (Searchlight), Maniac (Netflix), The Good Doctor (ABC), Beasts ...

54. Andrew Carroll

Composer | Cassidy Red

Andrew Carroll is a composer, songwriter, and producer based in Los Angeles, California. He studied writing and classical guitar at Loyola Marymount University, and he fronts the band The Lonely Wild. His song, "Buried in the Murder," became the theme song for TV series Death Valley. And his works ...

55. Ben Frost

Composer | Dark

Ben Frost is known for Dark (2017), Sleeping Beauty (2011) and 1899 (2022).

56. Nick Urata

Composer | Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Born in NY, Nick Urata is best known as founder and front man of the influential band Devotchka. In 2007, the band gained worldwide recognition and a Grammy nomination for the soundtrack of Academy Award winning film, Little Miss Sunshine. Since then, Urata has scored more than 25 films including ...

57. The Blasting Company

Soundtrack | Burlesque

The Blasting Company is known for Burlesque (2010), The Five-Year Engagement (2012) and Meet Me in Montenegro (2014).

58. Abel Korzeniowski

Music_department | A Single Man

Born on the 18th of July, 1972, in Cracow, Poland. In 1996 graduated the instrumental studies (specialization: cello), and then in 2000 graduated with merit from the composition class of Krzysztof Penderecki at the Music Academy in Cracow. At the same Academy, in the years 1999-2000, he was an ...

59. Jeff Russo

Composer | Fargo

Jeff Russo was born on August 31, 1969. He is a composer and actor, known for Fargo (2014), Ripley (2024) and Lucy in the Sky (2019).

60. Franz Kirmann

Composer | McMafia

Franz Kirmann is known for McMafia (2018), Les heures blanches (2014) and The Man Behind the Microphone (2017).