The 10 Greatest Film Score Composers of All Time

From the sweeping orchestral titans who defined Hollywood's golden age to the boundary-pushing modern voices rewiring what a score can be, this lineup spans a century of unforgettable music. Where do you stand?

1. 1
   Max Steiner

   The 'father of film music,' who scored King Kong, Casablanca, and Gone with the Wind.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Hans Zimmer

   The genre-redefining composer of Inception, Interstellar, Gladiator, and Dune.
   906pts
3. 3
   Ennio Morricone

   The Italian maestro whose spaghetti-western and cinema scores are among the most beloved ever written.
   862pts
4. 4
   James Horner

   The emotive composer of Titanic, Braveheart, and Avatar.
   647pts
5. 5
   Alan Silvestri

   The composer of Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and the Avengers themes.
   647pts
6. 6
   Danny Elfman

   Tim Burton's longtime collaborator behind Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and The Simpsons theme.
   503pts
7. 7
   Michael Giacchino

   The composer of Up, Ratatouille, and the rebooted Star Trek films.
   503pts
8. 8
   Hildur Guðnadóttir

   The Icelandic composer whose Joker score won an Academy Award.
   503pts
9. 9
   Howard Shore

   The composer of the sweeping, Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy scores.
   323pts
10. 10
    Alexandre Desplat

    The two-time Oscar winner behind The Shape of Water and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
    323pts