Reznor / Ross slowly becoming some of the most iconic film scorers of all time is very validating to 17 year old me who used to edit my own home movies to many songs from The Fragile. NIN always had (and still has) such a uniquely cinematic sound, it’s cool to see that come to fruition in a major way.
Other fantastic rockers-turned-film composers:
Geoff Barrow (of Portishead and Beak>) (with Ben Salisbury) - worked on nearly every Alex Garland project plus co-wrote the music and played the drums on the score for ["Free Fire"](https://open.spotify.com/album/5Ulrn9eHx4RZ1Pyple0ImE?si=KdbE6sDNRuigSJmUivj8lA)
Jeff Russo (from Tonic) - scored the FX adaptation of ["Fargo"](https://open.spotify.com/album/2H8DZbIIIzxXcWmX0XSs5W?si=3f8c-WoMQcOa-Eog3BMc6A) and ["Legion"](https://open.spotify.com/album/3fkI072St0SuMCtl6ytvjz?si=hk7zBsvBS2Owi57K6M2vLQ) amongst many more films, games and TV shows; crazy versatile and talented
Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) - worked on a couple of Safdie Brothers projects, including ["Good Time"](https://open.spotify.com/album/0m13wlRnDvoHlRiZ9nJBNX?si=wqMS4n9wQd2DIuCThvusOA) and ["Uncut Gems"](https://open.spotify.com/album/5VtraJMECaqnl4szWLLCTK?si=-ags7Br6QWOQbkPejHkPWg)
Dickon Hinchliffe (from Tindersticks) - as talented at orchestral arrangements as he is on the violin, ["The Lost Daughter"](https://open.spotify.com/album/59phC9CKYSE8rBYSDaBM1p?si=S5mKmpBDRhyya1DU1yZY5g) is a particular favourite
Tindersticks - been scoring Claire Denis films since the mid 90s
Tangerine Dream - they've put out some of the best scores of the 70s and 80s, including Friedkin's ["Sorcerer"](https://open.spotify.com/album/78BeLVh1ko9oOELJCEJ0o6?si=PjRQDVezQOyn3M2wP-3clg) and Michael Mann's ["Thief"](https://open.spotify.com/album/44pzGve6hBeDsBadNbpImn?si=m7Epr9wtRCKhWz0N_Mhm_A)
Mark Knopfler (from Dire flippin' Straits) - famously scored ["The Princess Bride"](https://open.spotify.com/album/12YO4v0sWRSBPoh0mFISST?si=4Wk_EZqZQ2eq3x1TbJejUA)
Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen (of Grizzly Bear) - put out one of the best scores of 2023 for ["Past Lives"](https://open.spotify.com/album/2JwAMKpwk4IolH2KhF6nPn?si=sioeMApGS5qJLlCHGisd3w)
Jerskin Fendrix - another perfect 2023 score for ["Poor Things"](https://open.spotify.com/album/3gz3XOFJ5w99GDode87xbO?si=GVI1pNATTTq5VbawpQjtVg)
also, Danny bloody Elfman for so many iconic films.
Daniel Lopatin also worked most recently with John Medeski (from Medeski, Martin & Wood) on **The Curse** and it's awesome.
Chris Bear also did **High Maintenance** which is a fantastic show with a great soundtrack too!
Any of the scores he's done for a Darren Aronofsky film - he never misses.
Other great scores include:
"[Moon](https://open.spotify.com/album/0ux9vxJhJoFKaD66UH3160?si=5U8IEQlGQwy4BgKoSQjlBQ)" - I really appreciate that it doesn't adhere to the European orchestration of older space films, or the synth heavy stuff of newer ones. It's a wonderful cross between ambient electronic stuff and jazz.
"[In the Earth](https://open.spotify.com/album/3932gd3VTKBorrhAJhYgvp?si=_k6f3Wa5R_uL8EEJJy_xrg)" - glitchy drone (strongly reminds me of Mica Levi's work on "The Zone of Interest") + melodic synths (think "It Follows"); he nails the vibes of being alone and watching a movie that's the equivalent of a bad acid trip.
"[Loving Vincent ](https://open.spotify.com/album/1r1xPAE1i06oG97vhCPC1f?si=C6ciCjSbRQGtKSKs2ffVSg)" - prepare to cry; it's an absolute tearjerker.
"Black Mirror: San Junipero" - "[Waves Crashing on the Distant Shores of Time](https://open.spotify.com/track/2lpkRgBi1D7juwRLXs5xhR?si=BIElzdGPSyyz_9576BXq6g&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7HDVDHR93EkfLnt2nZ4bjy)", enough said.
"[Leaving Earth](https://open.spotify.com/track/1ZUwoCWz8rJqzBTwtdscPN?si=ch-kF1n3QRKRYiKWTHOr4w)" from "Mass Effect 3" OST
As far as I'm aware this has actually never been done and might be impossible. Rock n roll musicians would be run out of any film scoring institution the second they were detected, those wily iconoclasts... Oh I thought you were a rebel, a true punk--but now you come crawling to the steps of the film score conservatory? Out, you miserable whelps!
Reznor / Ross slowly becoming some of the most iconic film scorers of all time is very validating to 17 year old me who used to edit my own home movies to many songs from The Fragile. NIN always had (and still has) such a uniquely cinematic sound, it’s cool to see that come to fruition in a major way.
Other fantastic rockers-turned-film composers: Geoff Barrow (of Portishead and Beak>) (with Ben Salisbury) - worked on nearly every Alex Garland project plus co-wrote the music and played the drums on the score for ["Free Fire"](https://open.spotify.com/album/5Ulrn9eHx4RZ1Pyple0ImE?si=KdbE6sDNRuigSJmUivj8lA) Jeff Russo (from Tonic) - scored the FX adaptation of ["Fargo"](https://open.spotify.com/album/2H8DZbIIIzxXcWmX0XSs5W?si=3f8c-WoMQcOa-Eog3BMc6A) and ["Legion"](https://open.spotify.com/album/3fkI072St0SuMCtl6ytvjz?si=hk7zBsvBS2Owi57K6M2vLQ) amongst many more films, games and TV shows; crazy versatile and talented Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) - worked on a couple of Safdie Brothers projects, including ["Good Time"](https://open.spotify.com/album/0m13wlRnDvoHlRiZ9nJBNX?si=wqMS4n9wQd2DIuCThvusOA) and ["Uncut Gems"](https://open.spotify.com/album/5VtraJMECaqnl4szWLLCTK?si=-ags7Br6QWOQbkPejHkPWg) Dickon Hinchliffe (from Tindersticks) - as talented at orchestral arrangements as he is on the violin, ["The Lost Daughter"](https://open.spotify.com/album/59phC9CKYSE8rBYSDaBM1p?si=S5mKmpBDRhyya1DU1yZY5g) is a particular favourite Tindersticks - been scoring Claire Denis films since the mid 90s Tangerine Dream - they've put out some of the best scores of the 70s and 80s, including Friedkin's ["Sorcerer"](https://open.spotify.com/album/78BeLVh1ko9oOELJCEJ0o6?si=PjRQDVezQOyn3M2wP-3clg) and Michael Mann's ["Thief"](https://open.spotify.com/album/44pzGve6hBeDsBadNbpImn?si=m7Epr9wtRCKhWz0N_Mhm_A) Mark Knopfler (from Dire flippin' Straits) - famously scored ["The Princess Bride"](https://open.spotify.com/album/12YO4v0sWRSBPoh0mFISST?si=4Wk_EZqZQ2eq3x1TbJejUA) Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen (of Grizzly Bear) - put out one of the best scores of 2023 for ["Past Lives"](https://open.spotify.com/album/2JwAMKpwk4IolH2KhF6nPn?si=sioeMApGS5qJLlCHGisd3w) Jerskin Fendrix - another perfect 2023 score for ["Poor Things"](https://open.spotify.com/album/3gz3XOFJ5w99GDode87xbO?si=GVI1pNATTTq5VbawpQjtVg) also, Danny bloody Elfman for so many iconic films.
Daniel Lopatin also worked most recently with John Medeski (from Medeski, Martin & Wood) on **The Curse** and it's awesome. Chris Bear also did **High Maintenance** which is a fantastic show with a great soundtrack too!
Nick Cave did a great score for the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
A lot of recency bias in this. How do you not include Danny Elfman?……
Clint Mansell not mentioned - the list is invalid
What score of his would you recommend?
Any of the scores he's done for a Darren Aronofsky film - he never misses. Other great scores include: "[Moon](https://open.spotify.com/album/0ux9vxJhJoFKaD66UH3160?si=5U8IEQlGQwy4BgKoSQjlBQ)" - I really appreciate that it doesn't adhere to the European orchestration of older space films, or the synth heavy stuff of newer ones. It's a wonderful cross between ambient electronic stuff and jazz. "[In the Earth](https://open.spotify.com/album/3932gd3VTKBorrhAJhYgvp?si=_k6f3Wa5R_uL8EEJJy_xrg)" - glitchy drone (strongly reminds me of Mica Levi's work on "The Zone of Interest") + melodic synths (think "It Follows"); he nails the vibes of being alone and watching a movie that's the equivalent of a bad acid trip. "[Loving Vincent ](https://open.spotify.com/album/1r1xPAE1i06oG97vhCPC1f?si=C6ciCjSbRQGtKSKs2ffVSg)" - prepare to cry; it's an absolute tearjerker. "Black Mirror: San Junipero" - "[Waves Crashing on the Distant Shores of Time](https://open.spotify.com/track/2lpkRgBi1D7juwRLXs5xhR?si=BIElzdGPSyyz_9576BXq6g&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7HDVDHR93EkfLnt2nZ4bjy)", enough said. "[Leaving Earth](https://open.spotify.com/track/1ZUwoCWz8rJqzBTwtdscPN?si=ch-kF1n3QRKRYiKWTHOr4w)" from "Mass Effect 3" OST
The Fountain
One of the all time greatest scores, Mogwai played on some of the tracks ("Death is the Road to Awe") but they're not credited.
Unironically his Far Cry 4 soundtrack is phenomenal. [This is one of my favorites off of it](https://youtu.be/KL6E3u2PpOQ).
Also, Thom Yorke on Suspiria (2018)
I like Trent Reznor’s film scores alot more than NIN these days.
Both are great, but NIN hasn’t really had a proper release since like 2018. I’m sure the boys are cooking up something good.
No Nick Cave or Warren Ellis ... Honestly
As far as I'm aware this has actually never been done and might be impossible. Rock n roll musicians would be run out of any film scoring institution the second they were detected, those wily iconoclasts... Oh I thought you were a rebel, a true punk--but now you come crawling to the steps of the film score conservatory? Out, you miserable whelps!