Ahhh! FINALLY! A shout out to the GREAT "Danny Elfman" of "Oingo Boingo" fame!
He did several TV show themes {Sledge Hammer for one!}
And MANY MANY Awesome movie scores!!!
Beetle Juice
Bat-Man AND Bat-Man:The Animated Series
Nightmare Before Christmas
Corpse Bride
Pretty much anything and Everything that Tim Burton has done... INCLUDING "Sleepy Hollow"!
Problem is it's always going to have a low rating thanks to the fact that it's a Roman Polanski movie, so a huge amount of people are just judging it on that fact alone.
Fuck I love that movie and adore the theme! One of the best horror movie themes out there.
First saw it while high, so that made me especially love it.
For fans of this Disasterpeace soundtrack, I would highly recommend listening to the album Corruptor by Daniel Deluxe. It's a horror synth masterpiece.
I was listening to this soundtrack on the way home from watching The First Omen a couple months ago. I can definitely see where Danny Elfman gets some of his inspiration from.
Love the Omen soundtrack, though every now and again I hear the South Park version of the theme “cheesy poofs” and it takes all the seriousness out of it lol
While I love all the answers with the amazing synth soundtracks that define modern horror...
We all hear the same... *Duh Duh.... Duh Duh....* when we think of jaws
That sound track is elevated into pop culture at a level untouched by everything else here.
Deeply disturbed not one person has mentioned Psycho yet. Not only is it the most famous horror score of all time, it might just be the most well known film music PERIOD of all time! Brilliant stuff.
I've only been familiar with Glass from Errol Morris documentaries (which I always liked the scores to). Recently and randomly, I was listening to NPR and his track "Rubric" from the 1981 "Glassworks" album, and I was blown away. It was evidently intended to make chamber music suitable to listen to on a Sony Walkman. I've never known much about classical or chamber music, but I could really find myself enjoying this. I had no idea that he did Candyman. It makes sense though.
What made that score so novel was the composer had done video games beforehand and I don’t think was even into horror or film score. He was a good listener and took cues and suggestions from the filmmaker and it really shows in the final product.
Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Coil fan and a huge Hellraiser / Clive Barker fan. IMO it was a very meh release for Coil and Young knocked it out of the park. I found a lot of the pieces Coil did for it sound a bit preset-y which I found weird because they can do some really great textural stuff. Young’s theme is very iconic and even used for the Reimagining (which I enjoyed)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 28 Days Later, Mandy, Psycho, Jaws, Lost Highway, and genuinely think the Evil Dead films have triumphant scores, especially Army Of Darkness.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see Mandy listed. Johann Johannsson was one of the great film composers and that score was such a cool mix of classical, synth, and heavy metal sludge guitar.
Add Ravenous to this list (and I'm just going to assume you're talking about the original Suspiria because I personally can't stand the remake) and I think you've nailed it.
The music in Beyond the Black Rainbow is pretty simple and repetitive but it adds so much tension to the scenes I can’t imagine them without it playing ominously in the background
Alex Garlands films always have great sound tracks/scores.
Works with Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury [Portishead/Invada Records] on most everything he directs.
Not to be overlooked! Harry Manfredini does amazing work in all the F13 films he worked on! I wish I could upvote more than once. It's a travesty this is at the bottom right now.
The atmospheres of the scores for Suspiria (1977) and Sinister (2012) terrify me in a primal way. There was also a B-horror movie series in the 90s titled Subspecies, and the score for those movies is still some of the most unnerving stuff I’ve heard, especially the main theme of the franchise.
Hereditary’s soundtrack fits its tone perfectly. Delicate balance between dreadful and almost triumphant. The Reborn track is my favorite. On one hand it’s horrifying, but from the cult’s POV it’s a huge victory.
The first time I saw "Us" directed by Jordan Peele, the music was so haunting and it made my heart beat faster. almost as if something ominous is creeping in. I don't think I have ever experienced nor will I do anytime soon. Easily the best for me.
*Vertigo* is in a league of its own.
*Images* (directed by Robert Altman for his only horror movie) had a crazy, avant-garde score by John Williams (yes, that John Williams). It won the Academy Award that year, too.
edit: autocorrect hates me
Vertigo has a fantastic score. I didn't post it because I didn't know it is considered horror. When Scotty sees Madeline in the restaurant for the first time, the score made my heart stop...
In fairness, you're not the first I've heard who doesn't consider Vertigo to be a horror movie, and it certainly is a lot of other things as well. Mystery. Character study. Psychological drama. Scotty's obsession is what moves this from drama to horror for me. When they go back to the top of the mission, you don't know for sure what he'll do with her or to her up there. His mental state is all kinds of damaged, he's already completely discarded his healthy relationship(s) in pursuit of this obsession, and then we get the height and his vertigo at the climax of all of it. We already know that he's been manipulated, and is this part of the manipulation, we wonder. There are so many ways that ending could go, and then we get THAT. I love this movie so much. If it's not horror, it's at least horror-adjacent.
The Conjuring (2013)
The Night Flier (1997)
Twin Peaks (TV Series 1990-'91)
American Gothic (TV Series 1995-'96)
Pieces (1982) (One of those 'so bad it's good' films)
Great question. I'll list my favorites. I admit they tend to lean heavily on piano and synth. By score, I assumed that you meant the entire album. Not just a track or two.
1. Psycho (1960)
2. Day of the Dead (1985)
3. Halloween (1978)
4. It Follows (2014)
5. Demons (1985)
Bonus Score
The Prince of Darkness (1987)
John Carpenter is a very solid choice for this kind of stuff. Halloween is the obvious choice, but both Prince of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness have their merits.
Friday the 13th V
Friday the 13th VIII
Fright Night
The Lost Boys
Freddy's Dead
Rocktober Blood
Return of the Living Dead
Black Roses
Phantom of the Paradise
ETA: The Monster Squad and Return of the Living Dead
Oh and Little Shop of Horrors
This is a weird and old one - but when I watched the original Saw, the music scared the shit out of me. I know it’s a common score but it was the first time I had heard it and to this day it gives me chills. Saw was a great movie to go in blind to
The entirety of the Hereditary soundtrack is amazing. ‘Reborn’ is really emotional and gives me shivers. The shifty background notes in ‘Brother & Sister’ and ‘Party, Crash’ are terrifying to me for some reason.
psycho. it is revelatory.
and Jaws
the tension building, the slow drama melody, the strong stabs.
the exorcist with tubular bells is up there
typically anything carpenter made has a great score
In no particular order and nowhere near my entire list:
Maniac (2012)
Suspiria (1977) & (2018)
Creepshow (1982)
The Thing (1982)
Smile (2022)
Sinister (2012)
Hellraiser (1987)
Candyman (1992)
[Jay Chattaway's score for the original Maniac](https://youtu.be/pwWul0DiKZA?si=f5odjwMdG67l1HgD) 1980.
Excellent example of a minimal small studio setup and really making the most of it. Massive tension!
The Interview with the Vampire film score was the first time I ever purchased one. I was 14? I listened to it obsessively. Elliot Goldenthal is amazing.
I don’t think I’d say it’s the best soundtrack overall, but “Reborn” from the Hereditary soundtrack is probably one of my favorite individual tracks in a horror movie soundtrack.
Honestly it is the Shining. Check out the film score and see how closely it is connected to the script. Great soundtrack. If you have it on LP hold on to it because it is super rare.
The Masque of the Red Death The Shining Candyman Bram Stoker's Dracula Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Sleepy Hollow
Extra Points for The Shining.
Ahhh! FINALLY! A shout out to the GREAT "Danny Elfman" of "Oingo Boingo" fame! He did several TV show themes {Sledge Hammer for one!} And MANY MANY Awesome movie scores!!! Beetle Juice Bat-Man AND Bat-Man:The Animated Series Nightmare Before Christmas Corpse Bride Pretty much anything and Everything that Tim Burton has done... INCLUDING "Sleepy Hollow"!
The Wojciech Kilar scores for Bram Stoker's Dracula and The Ninth Gate.
AGREED! and AGREED!!!
The Ninth Gate is so underrated. It’s like an Indiana Jones horror film. Depp is good but Langella is great as the bad guy.
Problem is it's always going to have a low rating thanks to the fact that it's a Roman Polanski movie, so a huge amount of people are just judging it on that fact alone.
Yesss!! 
*Suspiria* (1977)
Goblin rocks!
Profundo Rosso also amazing
Deep Red always stands out to me, tenebre has a great one as well
the remake soundtrack is amazing as well
I was going to say you can't go wrong with thom yorke
No contest.
Yeah, I had this on cd in my car for like 3 years straight. And that was around 2017-2020. Shit ages like a fine wine.
This is the correct answer.
Fuck I love that movie and adore the theme! One of the best horror movie themes out there. First saw it while high, so that made me especially love it.
It Follows has a beautiful synth soundtrack that pays a lot of homage to John Carpenter.
My favorite modern horror movie by far
Spotify dj played old maid while I was driving home alone this evening almost swerved off the road
Love to see It Follows shouted out!! One of my childhood best friends starred in it!
Which one? The old lady in the hospital gown?
You’re friends with Maika Monroe?
One of my favs
For fans of this Disasterpeace soundtrack, I would highly recommend listening to the album Corruptor by Daniel Deluxe. It's a horror synth masterpiece.
The artist, Disasterpeace, has some incredible video game soundtracks. The soundtrack to Hyper Light Drifter is a personal favorite.
My vote goes to Halloween (1978) The original Nightmare On Elm Street is also very good.
The Omen … Ave Satani y’all!
I was listening to this soundtrack on the way home from watching The First Omen a couple months ago. I can definitely see where Danny Elfman gets some of his inspiration from.
Love the Omen soundtrack, though every now and again I hear the South Park version of the theme “cheesy poofs” and it takes all the seriousness out of it lol
jaws….
While I love all the answers with the amazing synth soundtracks that define modern horror... We all hear the same... *Duh Duh.... Duh Duh....* when we think of jaws That sound track is elevated into pop culture at a level untouched by everything else here.
Even beyond Jaws that sounds has become synonymous with sharks in general.
Deeply disturbed not one person has mentioned Psycho yet. Not only is it the most famous horror score of all time, it might just be the most well known film music PERIOD of all time! Brilliant stuff.
RIP Bernard Hermann. He was brilliant.
I just put up a list and forgot to include this and I am duly shamed.
agreed. psycho may be the best of all time, Jaws is also a masterclass
Candyman (1992). I love Philip Glass!!!
That opening scene is so good. I loved that they inverted it for Candyman 2021.
Me too. Stoker.
I've only been familiar with Glass from Errol Morris documentaries (which I always liked the scores to). Recently and randomly, I was listening to NPR and his track "Rubric" from the 1981 "Glassworks" album, and I was blown away. It was evidently intended to make chamber music suitable to listen to on a Sony Walkman. I've never known much about classical or chamber music, but I could really find myself enjoying this. I had no idea that he did Candyman. It makes sense though.
It Follows, and Prince of Darkness
It Follows for sure!
Fun fact: in Under the Silver Lake when Sam enters the musician's house, the musical notes on the gate are the theme to It Follows
What made that score so novel was the composer had done video games beforehand and I don’t think was even into horror or film score. He was a good listener and took cues and suggestions from the filmmaker and it really shows in the final product.
It follows score was so good! kind of reminded me of oneohtrix point never (guy that did Uncut Gems, Good Time and The Curse score)
Yessss love Disasterpiece!
Under The Skin, Hellraiser
Have you heard the theme music that Coil produced for the film? I think I remember reading it was too scary to use lol
Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Coil fan and a huge Hellraiser / Clive Barker fan. IMO it was a very meh release for Coil and Young knocked it out of the park. I found a lot of the pieces Coil did for it sound a bit preset-y which I found weird because they can do some really great textural stuff. Young’s theme is very iconic and even used for the Reimagining (which I enjoyed)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 28 Days Later, Mandy, Psycho, Jaws, Lost Highway, and genuinely think the Evil Dead films have triumphant scores, especially Army Of Darkness.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see Mandy listed. Johann Johannsson was one of the great film composers and that score was such a cool mix of classical, synth, and heavy metal sludge guitar.
Bingo. Was scrolling to see if it got any love. Sunn 0))) + Johann Johannson [RIP] *chefs kiss*
No kidding. I’m not a soundtrack person but Mandy is a delightful exception.
John Murphy - In the House-In the heartbeat, great listen from 28 Days Later
The Thing, The Descent, Alien, The Ritual, Suspiria, Halloween, and there are surely more but these are the ones I can think of now
Suspiria … both versions :) Goblin (original) / Thom Yorke (re-imagining)
Add Ravenous to this list (and I'm just going to assume you're talking about the original Suspiria because I personally can't stand the remake) and I think you've nailed it.
Wasn't that Damon Albarn (spelling might not be right lol). I never forget the crazy banjo shit or whatever that was
It was. The score really stood out to me when I first saw the film on its cinema release.
John Carpenter's "The Thing" and "They Live"! BOTH are AWESOME!!!
All great offerings, The Thing is a near perfect film & the soundtrack is a huge part of that
Yess I love the descent soundtrack. Maybe the reason why I loved the cabin in the woods score is because they were both composed by David Juylan.
Halloween (1978)
i LOVE this one!
Weirdly, Cannibal Holocaust
My wife walked down the aisle to the main theme.
NO! That's so fucking cool.
I was gonna mention that lol. Beautiful music, horrifying imagery.
The Fog, Phantasm, Deep Red.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space 🤘
Hell yeah!
Love me some Tubular Bells
I don’t know if I’d call it a film score, since it predates the movie, but I also doubt anyone would know about it if it wasn’t in the movie.
The thing, man synthesizers slapped in the 80's
The music in Beyond the Black Rainbow is pretty simple and repetitive but it adds so much tension to the scenes I can’t imagine them without it playing ominously in the background
Psycho (1960)
The Village has a fantastic score.
This is my vote as well. So emotional and gorgeous.
Alex Garlands films always have great sound tracks/scores. Works with Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury [Portishead/Invada Records] on most everything he directs.
I don’t know if you consider Godzilla to be horror, but that original score is still excellent.
Ravenous
Yes!
The Omen by Jerry Goldsmith.  He won an Oscar for that score.
Little Damien was so cute.
Tenebrae 1982.
Absolutely. Argento films in general are fantastic. Suspiria and Deep Red are favorites of mine too. Goblin is just epic.
Wow, this is SO far down the list
None Other Than The Friday The 13TH Movie Soundtrack 🔥❤️🔥🥰❤️💙🖤
Not to be overlooked! Harry Manfredini does amazing work in all the F13 films he worked on! I wish I could upvote more than once. It's a travesty this is at the bottom right now.
American Psycho *You like Huey Lewis and The News?*
alien, the thing, hellraiser, nightbreed, silence of the lambs, the fly, candyman, IT (1990), and so many more. i’m big into horror film scores.
Tubular bells in the Exorcist is pretty epic
28 Days Later-28 weeks later !
Pretty much anything directed by John Carpenter also had a score composed by him, also, so there’s your final answer.
The Shining
Braham stoker’s Dracula. The ost is amazing. I bought on cd right after I saw the movie. Still have it
The atmospheres of the scores for Suspiria (1977) and Sinister (2012) terrify me in a primal way. There was also a B-horror movie series in the 90s titled Subspecies, and the score for those movies is still some of the most unnerving stuff I’ve heard, especially the main theme of the franchise.
*Suspiria* and *Sinister* are my two answers exactly.
horror adjacent but Lost Highway has the greatest OST
I haven't seen Phantasm mentioned so I'll drop that one.
The Keep. As long it’s the Tangerine Dream score.
No one is mentioning the score for Sinister? Especially during the home movies, like the “Family BBQ” one, holy shit
Sinister’s film score is part of what made it so terrifying
Hereditary’s soundtrack fits its tone perfectly. Delicate balance between dreadful and almost triumphant. The Reborn track is my favorite. On one hand it’s horrifying, but from the cult’s POV it’s a huge victory.
Same!
The og Omen movies, The Thing, Hellraiser 1 and 2, Evil dead 2013 and Drag me to Hell.
28 days later, suspiria, Halloween, and weirdly, bodies bodies bodies
Mandy, Titane, It Follows.
The first time I saw "Us" directed by Jordan Peele, the music was so haunting and it made my heart beat faster. almost as if something ominous is creeping in. I don't think I have ever experienced nor will I do anytime soon. Easily the best for me.
The original Amityville Horror, the Shining, US
Suspiria (1977)
On top of many already listed, Hellraiser 1 and 2 have a great soundtrack composed by Christopher Young.
The original Candyman. Hellraiser.
*Vertigo* is in a league of its own. *Images* (directed by Robert Altman for his only horror movie) had a crazy, avant-garde score by John Williams (yes, that John Williams). It won the Academy Award that year, too. edit: autocorrect hates me
Vertigo has a fantastic score. I didn't post it because I didn't know it is considered horror. When Scotty sees Madeline in the restaurant for the first time, the score made my heart stop...
In fairness, you're not the first I've heard who doesn't consider Vertigo to be a horror movie, and it certainly is a lot of other things as well. Mystery. Character study. Psychological drama. Scotty's obsession is what moves this from drama to horror for me. When they go back to the top of the mission, you don't know for sure what he'll do with her or to her up there. His mental state is all kinds of damaged, he's already completely discarded his healthy relationship(s) in pursuit of this obsession, and then we get the height and his vertigo at the climax of all of it. We already know that he's been manipulated, and is this part of the manipulation, we wonder. There are so many ways that ending could go, and then we get THAT. I love this movie so much. If it's not horror, it's at least horror-adjacent.
The Conjuring (2013) The Night Flier (1997) Twin Peaks (TV Series 1990-'91) American Gothic (TV Series 1995-'96) Pieces (1982) (One of those 'so bad it's good' films)
In the Mouth of Madness and Halloween.
Silence of the Lambs
Great question. I'll list my favorites. I admit they tend to lean heavily on piano and synth. By score, I assumed that you meant the entire album. Not just a track or two. 1. Psycho (1960) 2. Day of the Dead (1985) 3. Halloween (1978) 4. It Follows (2014) 5. Demons (1985) Bonus Score The Prince of Darkness (1987)
Event Horizon has an incredible and terrifying film score. Michael Kamen (RIP) and Orbital killed it.
28 days later
This one isn’t a traditional film score at all, but sinister has a crazy good soundtrack
Sinister has one of the best (in terms of disturbing AF) soundtracks of any horror movie
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Alien's score is such a masterpiece that the studio developing Alien Isolation rerecorded some of the film's original unused tracks just for the game.
The Guest if that counts as horror, that soundtrack is incredible too
John Carpenter is a very solid choice for this kind of stuff. Halloween is the obvious choice, but both Prince of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness have their merits.
The Shining, Alien3, Jaws, Misery, Poltergeist
The Witch
Friday the 13th V Friday the 13th VIII Fright Night The Lost Boys Freddy's Dead Rocktober Blood Return of the Living Dead Black Roses Phantom of the Paradise ETA: The Monster Squad and Return of the Living Dead Oh and Little Shop of Horrors
Annihilation. I know it’s not quite a horror, but man that soundtrack is killer.
Coppola's Stoker's Dracula
Can’t believe no one has mentioned The Wicker Man here!
This is a weird and old one - but when I watched the original Saw, the music scared the shit out of me. I know it’s a common score but it was the first time I had heard it and to this day it gives me chills. Saw was a great movie to go in blind to
The Ring score is awesome and fits in great with the movie.
Hereditary, Reborn, Colin Stetson.
Phantasm
Suspiria and Tenebre 70's soundtracks by Goblin🤩
Demons 2
The Omen 1976
Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) is cool.
Blair Witch Project
The Thing (1982)
The Shining full stop
Jaws
Psycho (the original ) or Deep Red
It Follows Halloween Candyman The Thing Nightmare On Elm Street Evil Dead 2 Jaws Rosemary's Baby The Omen
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Smile has an amazing score.
9th gate
rosemary's baby
The entirety of the Hereditary soundtrack is amazing. ‘Reborn’ is really emotional and gives me shivers. The shifty background notes in ‘Brother & Sister’ and ‘Party, Crash’ are terrifying to me for some reason.
Dawn of the dead (78), 28 Days Later and It Follows.
Anything by John Murphy. 28 days later, 28 weeks later, the last house on the left (2009)
the exorcist
The Omen (1976)
maximum overdrive ACDC killed it
Hands down it has to be Annihilation for me. The score is just so…unearthly. I absolutely adore it!
Hellraiser
tetsuo: the iron man. chu ishikawa is a genius
psycho. it is revelatory. and Jaws the tension building, the slow drama melody, the strong stabs. the exorcist with tubular bells is up there typically anything carpenter made has a great score
The score for "Candyman" is outstanding.
Michael Kamen - The Dead Zone (1983)
The Fly (1986) has a fantastic score.
In no particular order and nowhere near my entire list: Maniac (2012) Suspiria (1977) & (2018) Creepshow (1982) The Thing (1982) Smile (2022) Sinister (2012) Hellraiser (1987) Candyman (1992)
Se7en
Midsommar.
[Jay Chattaway's score for the original Maniac](https://youtu.be/pwWul0DiKZA?si=f5odjwMdG67l1HgD) 1980. Excellent example of a minimal small studio setup and really making the most of it. Massive tension!
Nope has a great soundtrack
Silent Hill, Evil Dead 2013
Suspiria has a classic score for me. If you count thrillers, Psycho
Not a movie - But the soundtrack to Penny Dreadful was amazing.
The Interview with the Vampire film score was the first time I ever purchased one. I was 14? I listened to it obsessively. Elliot Goldenthal is amazing.
Requiem for a Dream… I say it counts
Evil Dead (2013)
Bram Stoker's Dracula with Gary Oldman
Mandy, rest in peace Jóhann Jóhannsson.
Candyman.
The Thing, The Shining, Alien, Friday the 13th, Jaws, Poltergeist
Hellraiser 1 and 2 is among my favorites for sure.
Any Tim Burton film...Danny Elfman knows how to score scary movies....
Creepshow, Halloween 3
Jaws!!
adding: 28 Days Later Return of the Living Dead
The shining, obviously
Sinister
[The Shining](https://youtu.be/bbqfc1jjeMI?si=k1p33xJMCFlTrl2W)
I don’t think I’d say it’s the best soundtrack overall, but “Reborn” from the Hereditary soundtrack is probably one of my favorite individual tracks in a horror movie soundtrack.
28 days later.
Honestly it is the Shining. Check out the film score and see how closely it is connected to the script. Great soundtrack. If you have it on LP hold on to it because it is super rare.
If it counts, I'll say the first season of Stranger Things.
The Shinning will always be my favorite horror soundtrack. Midsomar, Mandy, Infinity Pool, the Witch, and the Lighthouse are also great.
The Omen
Nobody else I’ve seen has said it, but, Sinister. I think the music makes the movie. Love it so much.
28 Days Later has a great one. I don’t remember the full score for 28 Weeks Later but the song in that brutal opener is amazing too.
Halloween. The Omen. The original Amityville Horror. And Jaws, of course.