Music has the ability to enhance a film and express emotions that simply could not be done with any other medium. When done right, the pairing of music, whether it's original songs or original scores, and movies creates magic and becomes a huge reason why people relate so deeply to certain stories and characters. Looking back at some of the most iconic pairings in film history, it's evident that sometimes a score's impact is so great that audience members remember that music more than anything else in a movie. When people think of Steven Spielberg’s classic 1975 summer blockbuster Jaws, one of the first things that come to mind is the thrilling theme John Williams composed for the shark itself. Williams is a master at his craft and one of the greatest composers of his time, creating some of the most acclaimed film scores in cinema history. He is also responsible for composing the iconic Star Wars theme song.

James Horner is yet another composer who has composed scores for some of the most popular and successful films to ever be made. In 1998, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on Titanic. This is another film where the movie's music is almost as important as the story itself. Titanic’s swooning and otherworldly score are still what people think of today when they look back on the film. Throughout the 2010s, we saw tons of great scores that aided film in the same way. Here are eight of the best film scores from the 2010s, ranked.

8 Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker — John Williams

Rey floats while meditating in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

John Williams is a legendary composer who will go down in cinema history for all of his iconic contributions to film since 1958, when he composed the score for the feature film Daddy-O. The score he created for the Star Wars films is undeniably some of his greatest and most recognizable work to date, making it no surprise that, in 2020, he received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. Almost everybody knows the main title's song and Star Wars is a perfect example of how much music can impact a movie.

Related: Star Wars: How John Williams Composed One of the Best Film Scores of All Time

7 Skyfall — Thomas Newman

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Skyfall
Sony Pictures Releasing

Like Star Wars, the James Bond films are another franchise in which the score is perhaps one of the most unforgettable aspects of the film. James Bond as a character is cool, dangerous, and a little arrogant, which is the exact feeling you get when listening to the score for Skyfall. The music should be an extension of the movie and this film's composer, Thomas Newman, did a brilliant job representing that. The fan-favorite English singer-songwriter Adele also played a part in creating the soundtrack for Skyfall. She wrote and sang the opening credits' song entitled "Skyfall" alongside record producer Paul Epworth. The project was monumental in Adele's career, winning her the Academy Award in 2013 for Best Original Song.

6 Inception — Hans Zimmer

A scene from Inception
Warner Bros. Pictures

One of the beautiful things about filmmaking is that it's a collaborative art form. When geniuses like Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Hans Zimmer come together, movie magic is made, which is exactly what happened with the making of Inception. Zimmer is one of the most respected composers in the film industry, and his work on the 2010 sci-fi action film elevated everything about Nolan's story. Zimmer captured the suspense and danger that DiCaprio's character Cobb was battling throughout the movie, and the tension the score created left audiences on the edge of their seats. Zimmer has been nominated 12 times at the Academy Awards for Best Original Score and has won twice for his work on The Lion King in 1995 and most recently for Dune in 2022.

5 Gravity — Steven Price

2013's Gravity
Warner Bros. Pictures

Almost every film about venturing off into outer space is suspenseful and filled with tension due to the fact that the stakes are so high and anything could go wrong at any moment. Alfonso Cuarón's 2013 sci-fi/thriller Gravity is no exception. This brilliant score was composed by Steven Price, who is also known for his work on the films Over the Moon, Fury, Baby Driver, and Last Night in Soho. Gravity received ten Oscar nominations in 2014 and won in seven of the categories, including Best Original Score, which is the first win for Price.

4 The Shape of Water — Alexandre Desplat

the-shape-of-water
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Guillermo del Toro's romance/fantasy The Shape of Water was one of the best-reviewed films to be released in the year 2017. The film received a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a total of 13 Oscar nominations, winning in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. Alexandre Desplat is the brilliant French composer behind this beautiful and comforting score. This was Desplat's second Oscar win after previously winning for his work on Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Related: Every Best Cinematography Oscar Winner of the 2010s, Ranked

3 Joker — Hildur Guonadóttir

Loder-joker-1200x630
Warner Bros.

Joaquin Phoenix gave the performance of his life starring as Arthur in Todd Phillip's much more relatable version of Joker. What makes this film so much darker and rawer than other 'Joker' films is that it isn't just a movie about a villain of a good guy vs a bad guy, it's about mental health and how society's failure to recognize these sicknesses can be catastrophic. In a film like this that relies so heavily on suspense and dark themes, the score is especially important for building tension and aiding as an extension of what Arthur is feeling. Hildur Guonadóttir created a score so chilling and deep it stays with you after watching the film.

2 The Grand Budapest Hotel — Alexandre Desplat

The inside of a bright red elevator with a few people in it in The Grand Budapest Hotel
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Wes Anderson is arguably the most particular and identifiable director making movies today. There are certain aspects, such as the use of bright colors, symmetry, the re-use of the same actors, quick dialogue, and unmistakable scores that he incorporated in every one of his movies. The Grand Budapest Hotel is his most acclaimed film, and the relationship between the music and the movie is crucial. The score carries us through the story from one scene to the next, making every transition flow and leaving the audience feeling like they are on a journey with the characters. Alexandre Desplat composed the playful and catchy score, which won him his first Academy Award in 2015.

1 La La Land — Justin Hurwitz

La La Land
Summit Entertainment 

The music in Damien Chazelle's musical/romance La La Land is the most important part of the entire film. Throughout the entire movie, we see Mia, played by Emma Stone, Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, and other characters live their lives and tell their struggles through song. Starting with the first scene of the movie "Another Day of Sun" and ending with the last scene "Epilogue," where Sebastian and Mia finally meet again and look back on the life they could have had. Without music, there would be no La La Land, which is why it was so important for the film's score to be excellent in order for the film to succeed. Justin Hurwitz did not disappoint and created a sweeping score that is still listened to today, even six years after the film was released. This movie is the perfect example of how important music can be to a movie and when paired together can create magic.