Top 10 Movie Scores of 2024

MOVIES

3 min read

While flashy visuals and big performances often get the spotlight, 2024 has been a strong reminder that a film’s emotional backbone often lies in its music. This year delivered an incredible range of soundtracks—from booming epics to hushed emotional textures, otherworldly synths to grounded jazz tones. These are the scores that lingered long after the credits rolled, enhancing stories in ways only music can.

Here are the 10 best movie scores of 2024, with full credit to the composers who made them unforgettable.

10. Gladiator II – Harry Gregson-Williams

Stepping into the colossal sandals left by Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams brought weight and elegance to this historical epic. His score mixes thunderous battle cues with mournful melodies, capturing both the legacy of the original and the evolution of a new generation of warriors. It's a score that honors tradition while carving out a new musical identity.

9. The Wild Robot – Kris Bowers

Kris Bowers delivers a gentle, soul-stirring score that perfectly matches the film's heartwarming narrative. Blending delicate piano lines with soft orchestration, Bowers crafts a soundscape that feels both human and mechanical, mirroring the emotional growth of its robotic protagonist. It’s tender, enchanting, and brimming with empathy.

8. Sing Sing – Bryce Dessner

Dessner’s score is restrained yet emotionally potent, full of delicate guitar work and introspective textures. His approach allows the real-life story at the center of Sing Sing to breathe, enhancing the humanity of its incarcerated characters rather than overshadowing it. This is scoring as soulful storytelling.

7. Memoir of a Snail – Elena Kats-Chernin

Kats-Chernin’s offbeat and richly textured compositions give Memoir of a Snail its whimsical, melancholy charm. Her classically influenced score, with hints of playfulness and deep nostalgia, adds layers to the film’s quirky storytelling. It’s a musical portrait of memory, whimsy, and emotional resilience.

6. Longlegs – Elvis Perkins

Perkins turns in a chilling and unconventional horror score that lingers like an echo in the dark. Off-kilter strings, dissonant piano, and unnerving silences make this one of the most memorable sonic experiences in the genre this year. It’s a masterclass in creating atmosphere and dread.

5. The Nickel Boys—Alex Somers & Scott Alario

This duo delivers an achingly beautiful and minimalist score that mirrors the harrowing emotional weight of the story. Somers and Alario employ ambient tones and sparse instrumentation to underscore both the brutality and quiet hope in this historical drama. The result is haunting, restrained, and deeply affecting.

4. Conclave – Volker Bertelmann

Oscar-winner Volker Bertelmann (a.k.a Hauschka) brings his signature tension-building style to this papal thriller. His use of prepared piano, atmospheric drones, and minimalist motifs creates a meditative but gripping sonic tapestry. Bertelmann makes silence feel dangerous, and each note speaks volumes.

3. Deadpool & Wolverine – Rob Simonsen

Simonsen infuses this chaotic superhero showdown with an unexpectedly rich score that balances irreverence and heart. Yes, there are heroic swells and badass guitar riffs—but also moments of vulnerability and nostalgic beauty. It's as unpredictable and emotionally complex as Wade Wilson himself.

2. Dune: Part II – Hans Zimmer

Zimmer once again redefines what sci-fi should sound like. His work on Dune: Part II expands the sonic mythology he built in Part I—more vocal layers, harsher percussion, and a hypnotic sense of tension. It’s otherworldly and primal, a score that doesn’t just accompany the movie—it commands it.

1. Challengers – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

No score this year was as bold, unexpected, and pulse-pounding as Challengers. Reznor and Ross throw out the playbook and deliver a club-infused, synth-laced, adrenaline-drenched soundscape that turns tennis into techno warfare. It’s sexy, aggressive, and electrifying—a sonic grand slam that elevated every sweaty, chaotic frame.

Conclusion

2024 reminded us that film scores don’t just enhance a story—they shape it. From gut-punching intimacy to soaring spectacle, these composers gave us soundtracks that deserve center stage. Whether you’re a cinephile, a music nerd, or just someone who likes to feel something while staring out a window, these ten scores are your essential playlist for the year.