4 of the Greatest Horror Film Soundtracks

Many of the greatest horror film soundtracks changed 20th-century composition.

They did more than keep moviegoers stress-eating popcorn. The composers used classical instrumentation, found sounds, and new instrumentation to create enduring works as recognizable as the films they scored.

It’s difficult to name only four. Indeed, iconic scores from Psycho to Christine to Nosferatu the Vampyre all deserve recognition. John Carpenter’s Halloween theme has evolved with sequels and noticeably went missing (along with Michael Myers) in Halloween III: Season of the Witch. And it’s no surprise for Carpenter to make multiple appearances here.

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke scored Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 remake of Suspiria. (Goblin’s original makes this list.) The film is a cult classic, and its score is one of the most revered in the horror (or any) genre. Yorke’s interpretation uses repetition and musique concrète for his spellbinding compositions.

So fall is here and now is the time to scare yourself silly with the dark soundtracks below.

Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman—

The Thing by Ennio Morricone (1982)

John Carpenter usually scores his films, but for The Thing he hired the spaghetti-western maestro Ennio Morricone. The main theme is titled “Humanity – Pt. 1” and features sweeping orchestral swells. Carpenter gave Morricone little instruction apart from “fewer notes.” The composer creates tension with painfully slow movements, lifting tender melodies above jarring and tense chord voicings. The creeping double bass gives the sense of something sneaking up behind you.

Candyman by Philip Glass (1992)

Philip Glass is famous for his repetitions. Within those repeated motifs are shifting and discomforting layers of minimalist contemporary classical music—perfect for the horror genre. Glass traps his listeners in hypnotic stasis while also pushing them along with unrelenting rhythms and gripping sequences. It’s the ideal soundtrack for unwitting students daring to repeat Candyman’s name in front of a bathroom mirror.

Suspiria by Goblin (1977)

The Italian progressive rock band Goblin created the main theme with what sounds like a demented music box. They also utilized a Moog synthesizer, tabla, and bouzouki—unorthodox instruments for film scores at the time. Filmmaker Dario Argento had worked with the band before on his 1975 film Profondo Rosso. Goblin created a groundbreaking score that echoed the script’s creepy dance school and its witches.

Halloween by John Carpenter (1978)

John Carpenter was just 30 years old when he co-wrote Halloween. He also directed the film and composed the most recognizable horror film theme in history. Inspired by Bernard Herrmann’s panicky Psycho and Goblin’s ghostly Suspiria scores, Carpenter wrote a tense piano riff using a 5/4 time signature. It’s a masterwork of suspenseful music in film. The rest of the score uses keyboard stabs and dissonance to keep viewers on edge.

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