The Top 3 composers at this moment

[Sandor 797]

I've been depressed by the state of film music these past few years. It seems like the Lord Of The Rings scores were the last that really impressed me and that I could really care about. But that has almost been 5 years ago. Of course new Williams-scores are always special to me, but I feel like film music in general has left me cold.

In the 90's at least Goldsmith, Horner, Poledouris, Elfman, and many others kept the "fire alive" so to speak. I don't think Zimmer and his minions can do it in the same way.

I was hoping composers like Howard Shore or James Newton Howard would take a prominent position in making film music something special for a new (and old) generation, but personally, I've been very disappointed by their efforts past, let's say, 2003.

I'm hoping some of you guys will say I'm stupid and ignorant and that there are some composers out there that really take film music to new levels. Composers that deserve to be on the foreground and will be remembered one day next to Goldsmith, Bernstein, Jarre, etc.

Who are those guys? Who are the Top 3 composers at this moment?

Thanks for (hopefully) giving me some hope.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Hmm...you are starting to sound like an old fart too.

1-David Arnold

2-Howard Shore

3-.....

[Sandor 797]

Hmm...you are starting to sound like an old fart too.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

While there are still composers I like, there really aren't any composers working today's who's CD's i'd buy blindly, knowing it will not be a waste of money.

I guess now we know what it was like in the late 60' to mid 70's, before Johnny revived the big orchestral score.

[Sandor 797]

That being said, I guess that 1975-2003 was a really good period for film music. Many truly classic scores starting with John Williams' Jaws and ending with Howard Shore's Return Of The King.

Star Trek TMP, Star Wars, Alien, Conan, Willow, Glory, Schindler's List, Titanic, LOTR, ... That list just goes on and on.

Perhaps it's just waiting before a young, relatively unknown composer creates a full blown traditional orchestral score to a highly succesful movie which will make filmproducers and directors go: "Hey, I want one of those too!"

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Now it's The Dark Knight, SW: The Clone Wars, Jablonski's Transformers and whatever Brian Tyler is doing.

Having said that, the last few years have been the best time when it comes to score re-releases....ever!

Also, I'm convinced that things will turn around. Often you need to go through the storm, to get to the sunshine.

It took Die Another Day, to get Casino Royale. It took 8 years of Bush, to get Obama.

Every action has an equel and opposite reaction.

[Richard Penna 3,696]

I couldn't narrow it down to a top 3. There are many composers who I consider to be doing stellar work at the moment, but I think it's far more subjective these days. I don't believe we have another Horner, another Goldsmith, and definitely not someone at Williams' level.

Powell, JNH, Zimmer, Tyler, Debney, Elfman, Young, Gregson-Williams - I think these are the bigger names being tossed around these days, but none of them have scored anything to the degree that it truly catapults them into the public stardom. Well, maybe Dark Knight, but I'm a bit scared that more directors are going to decide that's the style of music they want in their movies.

But what also separates these composers from the 90s greats I think is that their quality of output varies greatly, and opinions of them also vary wildly around here. I personally don't understand what people hear in Tyler's music for example. Giacchino? Maybe - he's definitely got his own style, has a mega successful TV series to his name and is about to be unleashed on Star Trek. But I'm still not a big fan.

Where would Williams be now if Spielberg and Lucas had chosen someone far less talented to work with?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

James Newton Howard

Michael Giacchino

John Powell

...

Hans Zimmer

Harry Gregson-Williams

Thomas Newman

[Neimoidian 14]

I think that if one looks for a good film music, he shouldn't look for it in Hollywood. Some of the best (film) composers work on some unknown, independent, straight-to-dvd-or-garbage-bin productions (to name people like Broughton, Scott or McNeely). There are a lot of great artists working around the globe, but most of us never hear about them (with some exceptions, of course). Some of my best scores from this year hasn't been written in the US, but they came from Far East Joe Hisaishi ("Ponyo on the Cliff") and Taro Iwaschiro ("Red Cliff").

As far as conteporary Hollywood is concerned, the biggest potential - apart from Howard, who is in his prime form - have Powell and Giacchino. I am looking forward to Joel Goldsmith too. And of course some composers "from abroad" - Desplat, Marianelli and God knows who else...

Zimmer is in-demand and capable of writing interesitng music, but he shows his talent way too rarely.

[Vaderbait1 1]

It took Die Another Day, to get Casino Royale. It took 8 years of Bush, to get Obama.

Isn't it a little early to make such assumptions?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I am looking forward to Joel Goldsmith too.

Don't count on it. I'm sure he'll be stuck doing Stargate: Universe for the next few years.

[Romão 2,274]

Elliot Goldenthal, easily

Alexander Desplat and Danny Elfman at times

[Ollie 1,059]

I've been depressed by the state of film music these past few years. It seems like the Lord Of The Rings scores were the last that really impressed me and that I could really care about. But that has almost been 5 years ago. Of course new Williams-scores are always special to me, but I feel like film music in general has left me cold.

In the 90's at least Goldsmith, Horner, Poledouris, Elfman, and many others kept the "fire alive" so to speak. I don't think Zimmer and his minions can do it in the same way.

I was hoping composers like Howard Shore or James Newton Howard would take a prominent position in making film music something special for a new (and old) generation, but personally, I've been very disappointed by their efforts past, let's say, 2003.

I'm hoping some of you guys will say I'm stupid and ignorant and that there are some composers out there that really take film music to new levels. Composers that deserve to be on the foreground and will be remembered one day next to Goldsmith, Bernstein, Jarre, etc.

Who are those guys? Who are the Top 3 composers at this moment?

Thanks for (hopefully) giving me some hope.

Actually your post is correct.

There are a few but nothing that really excites me. Thankfully FSM, Intrada, Varese etc etc continue to release goodies and hopefully the current state of film music will improve in the coming years.

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

i understand by you are asking for top 3 composers. Usually these lists reflect a top 5. Then i assume you already took into consideration Williams and giacchino

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

If we're excluding Williams, I'd put James Newton Howard right at the top of the list. I suppose Powell would be a contender after that, as well as Giacchino, who's steadily on the rise.

[fommes 153]

James Newton Howard's usual output is too... generic - apart from his occasional masterpiece of course.

I'd say Danny Elfman, David Arnold, Howard Shore.

With Desplat and Giacchino as upcoming composers.

[ChuckM 1]

Composers who have been doing very well based on what they've done recently:

John Powell

Michael Giacchino

Composers who have been doing pretty well recently:

Danny Elfman

James Newton Howard

Patrick Doyle

David Arnold

Composers who have potential to start doing really well:

Steve Jablonsky

Dario Marianelli

Joel Goldsmith

Edward Shearmur

Bryan Tyler

Composers who have been really good in the past and need to come back again:

John Williams

James Horner

Alan Silvestri

[Henry B 50]

We yearn for "full blown orchestral scores" because so many current film composers have trashed modern genres, simplifying them for the masses and sucking the creativity right out of them. There is great electronic music; don't let Zimmer's lifeless synthesizers lead you astray. There are great chamber (small ensemble) scores; don't let Shaiman's meandering pop chords get to you.

The symphony orchestra is not the be all and end all, but too often the most talented composers focus on this idiom only. We need good composers for new and fundamentally different styles of music. And they're out there - they just haven't made it big. Maybe that's because they have better things to do than prostitute themselves to the Hollywood money-making machine.

[John Crichton 4]

Giacchino's main success has come in non-film score areas, but no one's music comes close to captivating me the way his does. Cloverfield's Roar seemed to be a critical hit if less of a popular one (I still say it's the best piece of film music I've heard the last 2-3 years). Star Trek should cement his rise to the A-list.

Other than him and Williams, I guess I'd go Arnold. But he desprately needs a big non-Bond score, hopefully the next Narnia will fit the bill. If it's made. I respect the popularity of guys like JNH and Powell, I've just never gotten into them. As for the old guard, Elfman and Silvestri are reaching the twilight of their careers, and of course Horner lost it years ago.

I'll say it again, for the best music currently being written you've got to venture outside movies into TV and video games. Giacchino again, Murray Gold, Guy Gross, Bear McCreary, Jeremy Soule, Mark Griskey, Jared Emerson-Johnson, and even good old Koji Kondo (Uemastu is also one who seems to have lost it, sadly). It seems like I'm always discovering talented new game composers.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I suppose... Shore, Giacchino and JNH. Shore's work is consistently great (his score for EASTERN PROMISES was fantastic), I dig Giacchino's work so far and I hope he does well on STAR TREK, and JNH always does a fine job. I still think his KONG score is underrated.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

For the most consistently enjoyable score of the 21st century to date, I'd recommend "Kameo: Elements of Power." You just don't tire of listening to it.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

Wait, the music for the game?

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Recently, I've been missing Goldenthal, Fenton and Gordon.

[Dole 17]

Alexandre Desplat

Thomas Newman

Michael Giacchino

[David Coscina 4]

Hmm,

Top 3 Most in Demand:

1. Hans Zimmer

2. John Powell

3. James Newton Howard

Top 3 Actual good composers:

1. John Williams

2. Alexandre Desplat

3. Howard Shore

[Red 75]

James Newton Howard I believe to be in his prime (not to knock his 90's work) so I would definitely go with him.

Michael Giacchino is steadily on the rise and continues to impress (he could end up being the top dog of film music in time)

After that it gets a little less obvious if you don't consider Williams. I suppose Howard Shore would fit the bill.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Why is everyone saying Shore? He's decent, but definitely not one of the best.

[ChuckM 1]

I still have yet to hear anything from Shore (other than LotR) that particularly impresses me.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Se7en. Often his music is somewhat "abstract" though if you don't know the film it underscores.

[ChuckM 1]

I'll have to give that one a try sometime then. Although I don't remember the music standing out to me at all while watching the movie.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I like his Fincher work, and The Departed. Overall, he's nothing outstanding.

[Corellian2019 386]

Silence of the Lambs

The Game

Naked Lunch

The Fly

Those are all standout scores, in my opinion

[Dole 17]

Silence of the Lambs

The Game

Naked Lunch

The Fly

Those are all standout scores, in my opinion

Ed Wood is a nice score as well

[Corellian2019 386]

Of course! I can't believe I forgot Burton's only non-Elfman collaboration!

[Henry B 50]

Other than him and Williams, I guess I'd go Arnold. But he desprately needs a big non-Bond score, hopefully the next Narnia will fit the bill. If it's made. I respect the popularity of guys like JNH and Powell, I've just never gotten into them. As for the old guard, Elfman and Silvestri are reaching the twilight of their careers, and of course Horner lost it years ago.

Not according to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas he didn't. Also, check out Silvestri's Beowulf!

[indy4 155]

1. John Williams

2. James Newton Howard

3. Danny Elfman

4. Hans Zimmer

5. John Powell

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I like his Fincher work, and The Departed. Overall, he's nothing outstanding.

So not a LOTR fan then?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I'd say James Horner, Thomas Newman and James Newton Howard. Even if I can't really get into Howard's music.

Danny Elfman does nothing to impress me these days, which is unfortunate. Howard Shore is good, but his nephew Ryan will be bigger and better, and Hans Zimmer allegedly can't even read sheet music.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It took Die Another Day, to get Casino Royale. It took 8 years of Bush, to get Obama.

Isn't it a little early to make such assumptions?

You must believe in change, brother!

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

I'll have to give that one a try sometime then. Although I don't remember the music standing out to me at all while watching the movie.

It can be a tough listen. The best cue (the finale) is basically just an ostinato. But with the film (roughly) in mind, it's brilliant.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes, it's hugely effective.

This is the kind of thing Shore can do better then pretty much any film composer alive today.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I like his Fincher work, and The Departed. Overall, he's nothing outstanding.

So not a LOTR fan then?

I don't hold them in such high regard as most do.

[Morn 8]

This is quiet an east question I think.

1. John Williams

2. Ennio Morricone

3. Michael Giacchino

[paleo 63]

Hmmm, I would generally agree that not so many new scores really impress me these days, and there is (almost) no composer that I trust blindly (but, to be honest, even John Williams didn't always compose in a manner that I enjoyed unconditionally). That said, there are still very nice releases once in a while, and the composers with the most potential are, in my opinion (apart from the "Old Masters" that still do some work from time to time):

James Newton Howard (there are usually at least a few cues per soundtrack that I enjoy, often tremendously)

John Debney (can please somebody give him an assignment the likes of "Cutthroat Island" again?)

Danny Elfman (at least whenever he goes back to his roots, like in Hellboy 2)

David Arnold (I miss the old Independence Day and Stargate times; guess 10.000 BC [what a *cough* questionable *cough* movie] would have sounded much more pleasant if handled by Arnold)

Others whose work I sometimes enjoy are Harry Gregson-Williams, Christopher Young, Brian Tyler, Edward Shearmur, and James Horner (what a shame that he ran out of ideas about 20 years ago).

All in all, I do see a negative trend, but together with all the great re-releases and expansions, still enough to keep me occupied.

[Vaderbait1 1]

It took Die Another Day, to get Casino Royale. It took 8 years of Bush, to get Obama.

Isn't it a little early to make such assumptions?

You must believe in change, brother!

It'd be easier if this promise of "change" were something new, but we've been here and seen this all before.

[Richard Penna 3,696]

David Arnold (I miss the old Independence Day and Stargate times; guess 10.000 BC [what a *cough* questionable *cough* movie] would have sounded much more pleasant if handled by Arnold)

Couldn't disagree more - I thought Kloser's score was superb. For me, Arnold's got himself typecast as doing big, brassy and completely over the top action scores

[MSM 126]

Composers who have been doing very well based on what they've done recently:

John Powell

Michael Giacchino

Composers who have been doing pretty well recently:

Danny Elfman

James Newton Howard

Patrick Doyle

David Arnold

Composers who have potential to start doing really well:

Steve Jablonsky

Dario Marianelli

Joel Goldsmith

Edward Shearmur

Bryan Tyler

Composers who have been really good in the past and need to come back again:

John Williams

James Horner

Alan Silvestri

I agree with most what is said here.

Marc Shaiman should be added to the last list.

[paleo 63]

David Arnold (I miss the old Independence Day and Stargate times; guess 10.000 BC [what a *cough* questionable *cough* movie] would have sounded much more pleasant if handled by Arnold)

Couldn't disagree more - I thought Kloser's score was superb. For me, Arnold's got himself typecast as doing big, brassy and completely over the top action scores

Well, I didn't say I hated Kloser's score (even bought it), but I did like Arnold's certainly "over-the-top", but richly thematic music quite well (compared to many things we hear nowadays), and I certainly liked these scores better than the extreme pseudo-ethno thing that Kloser created for the film (thought it was not very original). I do agree that it was the best part of the movie, but with mammoths pulling up stones to the top of the pyramid etc. etc. that's not a big deal (I'm a paleontologist, as you might have guessed) . That's just my opinion...

[Hlao-roo 389]

Howard Blake, Bill Conti, Dave Grusin, Laurence Rosenthal, Arthur B. Rubinstein, and David Shire are all composers I respect greatly, but all are in the twilight of their careers and, for most intents and purposes, retired from the mainstream film scoring scene.

As far as I can tell, Joe Hisaishi, Wojciech Kilar, Ennio Morricone, and Michael Nyman are still putting out very good work, but they don't score enough Hollywood movies for me to really keep up with them.

Trevor Jones and Gabriel Yared, sadly enough, just don't seem to be in demand.

Thomas Newman and Rachel Portman remain consistently good at what they do, but they've congealed stylistically in recent years (making The Good German a pleasing departure in some ways for Newman).

Mark Isham and Bruce Broughton deserve further exploration on my part. Lukas Kendall has described Isham as a "brilliant mood-scorer who has never written anything I can remember." (Would you expect anything else from a Windham Hill vet?) Be that as it may, I recall his work for Fly Away Home fondly, and some of his recent output -- The Black Dahlia and Racing Stripes -- has garnered high marks from reviewers. Bruce Broughton isn't doing much writing these days, but he has quite the discography I need to delve into.

Howard Shore and James Newton Howard are two well-respected big-name composers whose music is yet to really win my affection. I appreciate what Shore has accomplished in his career, whether he's writing for Fincher or for Jackson, but for me his albums don't get a lot of play. As for Howard, outside of Signs and The Village (which I consider a superlative work), I confess I don't understand what the fuss is all about. Christopher Young is another highly respected figure whose music I don't find particularly compelling.

Patrick Doyle, Alan Silvestri, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer. I have liked each of them at one point or another, but they seem to be in decline, even as they remain as sought after as ever. Danny Elfman is another name some might add to this group, but, as with Williams, I think the line between artistic decline and stylistic evolution is at least arguable and something many of us are still trying to get our heads around.

Among the newer faces in Hollywood, John Powell, Dario Marianelli, Alexandre Desplat, and, yes, Michael Giacchino have all displayed great promise, but I haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet.

[QMM 4]

Nicely put