Classic FM

Film & TV

From John Williams’ iconic Star Wars theme to Hanz Zimmer’s swashbuckling Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, music is an essential part of any film or TV programme. Film and TV scores transport audiences to new worlds and are composed to delight, frighten, entertain and move.

Before sound was a part of film, there would often be an in-house pianist or organist who provided accompanying music. Sometimes whole orchestras would play along with a film.

A pianist was present to perform at the Lumiere brother's first film screening in 1895.

Moderinst film scores were introduced to films in the 1950s. For example, Leonard Bernstein composed the score for Elia Kazan’s 1954 ‘On the Waterfront’ and it was reminiscent of works by Igor Stravinsky and Aaron Copland.

Directors often work closely with composers and for several different films or TV programmes. Such long-term director-composer relationships include Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann; Steven Spielberg and John Williams; Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer; Tim Burton and Danny Elfman; Peter Jackson and Howard Shore; Sergio Leone and Ennio Moricone.

Best movie soundtracks

Movie Music Hall of Fame: 9 of the best film scores, according to Classic FM presenters

Features

Exclusive

George and Mary in the original 1946 film and the 2022 English National Opera production

Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame

Classic FM TV Music countdowns

Exclusive

The music to ‘Inspector Morse’ revealed as the nation’s number one TV theme

Downton Abbey named nation's favourite classical TV theme after poll of Classic FM listeners

Film and TV music composers

Popular film scores

Top film music

The Lord of the Rings - The Council of Elrond artwork

Buy CD

Download 'The Lord of the Rings - The Council of Elrond' on iTunes

The Lord of the Rings - The Council of Elrond Howard Shore Conductor: Howard Shore Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists: Enya Record label: REPRISE Catalogue ID: 9362 Warner

Buy CD

Download 'Gladiator - Main Theme' on iTunes

Gladiator - Main Theme Hans Zimmer

Buy CD

Download 'Schindler's List - Theme' on iTunes

Schindler's List - Theme John Williams (b.1932 : U.S.A) Conductor: Kirill Karabits Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Soloists: Nicola Benedetti Record label: DECCA Catalogue ID: 478 3529

Buy CD

Download 'Star Wars - Main Theme' on iTunes

Star Wars - Main Theme John Williams (b.1932 : U.S.A) Conductor: John Williams Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra Record label: SONY Catalogue ID: SK 62788

Dances with Wolves - John Dunbar Theme artwork

Buy CD

Download 'Dances with Wolves - John Dunbar Theme' on iTunes

Dances with Wolves - John Dunbar Theme John Barry (1933-2011 : England) Conductor: Paul Bateman Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Record label: Third Party Catalogue ID: CFMCD 46

Buy CD

Download 'Out of Africa - Main Title' on iTunes

Out of Africa - Main Title John Barry (1933-2011 : England) Conductor: David Arnold Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Record label: Third Party Catalogue ID: CFMCD 46

Pirates of the Caribbean - Theme artwork

Buy CD

Download 'Pirates of the Caribbean - Theme' on iTunes

Pirates of the Caribbean - Theme Klaus Badelt (b.1967 : Germany) Conductor: Carl Davis Ensemble: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Record label: Naxos Catalogue ID: 8 572111

Buy CD

Download 'Chariots of Fire - Theme' on iTunes

Chariots of Fire - Theme Vangelis (b. 1943 : Greece) Conductor: David Parry Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra Record label: LPO Live Catalogue ID: LPO 0063

Classic FM Film & TV playlists

Latest on Classic FM

What are the lyrics to Portugal’s national anthem?

On Air Now

Now Playing

Discover Music

Best movie soundtracks

Features

Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame

Classic FM TV Music countdowns

Film and TV music composers

Popular film scores

Top film music

Classic FM Film & TV playlists

More genres

Latest on Classic FM

Best classical music

More Periods and Genres

Film & TV

Best movie soundtracks

9 of the best film scores, according to Classic FM presenters

Which scores have won best soundtrack at the Oscars? All the winning scores from the last 50 years

Best Movie Soundtracks - 2000s

Best Movie Soundtracks -1990s

Best Movie Soundtracks - 1980s

Best Movie Soundtracks - 1970s

Best Movie Soundtracks - 1960s

Best Movie Soundtracks - 1930s-50s

The 50 best film scores of all time

Features

Why beloved Christmas film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ makes the perfect opera

The 10 greatest composers of the 21st century (so far)

The Crown season 5 soundtrack: what music is used in the series?

‘Thank you, maestro’ – Spielberg says John Williams wrote ‘The Fabelmans’ music as a gift to the director’s parents

First trailer released for ‘Chevalier’ biopic about 18th-century composer Joseph Boulogne

Angelina Jolie to play legendary opera star Maria Callas in new biopic ‘Maria’

Hans Zimmer didn’t want to score ‘The Lion King’, but his 6-year-old daughter changed his mind

Hans Zimmer on the war in Ukraine, his upcoming live album and 2023 European tour

Remembering the time Angela Lansbury sang ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for the film’s 25th anniversary

All 24 James Bond theme songs ranked from worst to best, based on musical merit

TÁR: who is Lydia Tár, what’s the music and how did Cate Blanchett learn to conduct?

John Williams honoured as Queen Elizabeth II’s final ‘Knight’ before she died

What’s the soundtrack to ‘Don’t Worry Darling’, and who wrote it?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power soundtrack – a mystical musical return to middle earth

House of the Dragon brings back the original Game of Thrones theme music, but fans are divided

‘I played the shark theme to Spielberg and he said, “you can’t be serious!”’ – John Williams on composing Jaws

Andrea Bocelli’s son, Matteo Bocelli, to make movie debut alongside actor Idris Elba

Is Austin Butler really singing and playing guitar in ‘Elvis’ movie?

What does ‘Hakuna matata’ in The Lion King actually mean?

The best classical music playlists to suit your every mood

The world’s first fully-professional female film composer – with a surprising connection to Taylor Swift

Lang Lang performs nostalgic piano rendition of Mary Poppins song against Disney Castle backdrop

John Williams hints at retirement from film music, says new score might be his last

Is Elliot Page really playing the violin in The Umbrella Academy?

Unearthed footage reveals Steven Spielberg and John Williams composing music for E.T. together

Jurassic World: Dominion has all the bombastic music you’d expect from a bumper dinosaur finale

Musical YouTuber reveals which cartoon characters *actually* play the piano correctly

What classical music and opera features in Stranger Things Season 4?

‘Maestro’: First look at Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in Netflix biopic

Vangelis, Oscar-winning ‘Chariots of Fire’ composer, has died aged 79

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: soundtrack and every musical easter egg

Harry Potter’s Tom Felton was ‘desperate’ as a child to become a professional violinist

People are only just realising the Spotify play bar becomes a lightsaber when you listen to Star Wars

Movie Music Monday: what’s the schedule and how can I listen on Global Player?

Can you guess the John Williams film score from the cryptic emoji sequence?

308-year-old Stradivarius violin played on ‘Wizard of Oz’ soundtrack could sell for record £14 million

Definitively the greatest film scores of the 21st century so far

Pianist plays beautiful melody in the ruins of Kharkiv, in a scene reminiscent of ‘The Pianist’

Exploring Gilead is ‘more important than ever’: The Handmaid’s Tale comes to the English National Opera

Yes, legendary soprano Julie Andrews is the voice of narrator Lady Whistledown in ‘Bridgerton’

Who has the most Oscar nominations in history?

John Williams: Compositions, movies, age and awards revealed

Hans Zimmer wins Oscar for ‘Dune’, accepts award in his dressing gown

The 10 best Hans Zimmer soundtracks

Bridgerton Season 2 soundtrack: every pop song with a classical cover

7-year-old Ukrainian refugee sings heart wrenching national anthem in Poland, after fleeing Kyiv

Jamie Bernstein: ‘Sondheim was like an uncle’ and West Side Story a ‘fourth sibling’

‘Without music, Jaws would wear dentures’ – Steven Spielberg hits out at pre-recording the Best Score Oscar

Why Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria’? The Batman soundtrack explained

A tech genius made this intricate floating LEGO house that plays the theme to ‘Up’

Call the Midwife soundtrack: who did the music and what’s the theme song called?

When does Bridgerton Season 2 come out, and what music will feature?

‘All of Us Are Dead’ soundtrack: the hidden musical meanings in Netflix’s zombie K-drama

John Williams needed a clarinettist on the ‘Jaws’ soundtrack. So, Spielberg volunteered.

10 of John Williams’ all-time greatest film themes, ranked

John Williams: 10 best movie soundtracks

Can John Cena play the piano? Inside the former WWE star’s melancholy ‘Peacemaker’ solo

The Masked Singer fans are convinced classical singer Aled Jones is the ‘Traffic Cone’

The under-recognised composer who became the first openly transgender Oscar nominee

A fan of the original ‘Mr Bean’ series has discovered the hilarious hidden joke in the soundtrack

Bradley Cooper reveals he is classically trained and ‘has spent hundreds of hours conducting’

West Side Story scores at Golden Globes 2022 ceremony as Rachel Zegler wins for Maria

‘Encanto’ soundtrack: all the song names and the Mexican-American composer behind the music

Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’ plays a surprising role in this upcoming superhero movie

Sesame Street composer Stephen J. Lawrence died, and the show gave a very moving tribute

Best anime music: 10 pieces from the world of anime TV and film

Why *that* tune from The Nutcracker is in every Christmas movie trailer

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Here’s what the soundtrack tells us…

Musical YouTuber reveals which cartoon characters actually play the piano correctly

Why that tune from The Nutcracker is in every Christmas movie trailer