Trent Reznor, the multi-instrumentalist frontman and founding member of Nine Inch Nails, has been in the music industry since the mid-80s. In his early career, he was a member of several synth-pop bands, such as Option 30, The Innocent, and Exotic Birds, until he started Nine Inch Nails in 1988. Acting as the sole member for years, Reznor wrote, arranged, and produced most of the band’s material. In the mid-90s, Reznor put his talent to use in the movie industry, working as a producer on the soundtracks for the films Natural Born Killers and Lost Highway. Reznor wrote the song "A Perfect Drug" for the film, which would later prove to be one of the band’s greatest hits. He also produced a cover of Joy Divisions Dead Souls for The Crow Soundtrack.
Updated Aug 17, 2023: This article has been updated by Amira Abdel-Fadil in honor of the release of Reznor and Ross's recent score for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
In the early 2000s, Reznor was asked to compose an original score for the Robin Williams film One Hour Photo. Despite his work ultimately being scrapped, the opportunity presented a new career path for the musician. Former Nine Inch Nails collaborator Atticus Ross would eventually join Reznor, and the duo has since produced many unforgettable scores for equally unforgettable films. They are currently working on the score for David Fincher's upcoming film: The Killer, which will mark their fifth collaboration with the director. As we wait for these two anticipated scores, here are the best film scores composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross so far, ranked.
12 Patriots Day
Patriots Day is a raw and unflinching film that explores the devastating Boston Marathon Bombings and the manhunt that followed. It is the fifth film score collaboration between Reznor and Ross. In a 2017 interview with Deadline, Reznor stated, "What lured us in was the challenge of seeing if we could try to color outside the lines a little bit of what music might be expected to do in a picture like that." Having celebrated a huge success with the 2010 soundtrack to David Fincher's The Social Network, the talented duo was looking to explore some unfamiliar territory.
11 Bones and All
Bones and All brings together Timothe Chalamet and Taylor Russel in an intense romance that's filled with horror. In this film, Maren, a young woman, sets out in a journey to find her mother. On her way, she meets Lee, a drifter, and together they continue their voyage through the roads of America. However, what awaits them is a very dark territory. Can both, each with a very grim past, be able to love each other healthily and fully? Bones and All is a film about young adults trying to come to terms with who they are, however horrific that might be.
The motion picture is extremely atmospheric and beautiful and is complemented by Trent Reznor and Atticus's score. While composing, the duo wanted the music to be a character in the film that amplifies all the emotions felt at any given point. It's made to echo feelings of tension, tenderness, and desperation. For the film, they began composing 8 to 10 themes before the filming started to check in with director Luca Guadagnino. They wanted the score to tell a story as the movie progresses and highlight how their work for the film has always been guided by pure emotion rather than technical aspects.
10 Empire of Light
Set in the 1980s, Empire of Light is a film about human connection. Written and directed by Sam Mendes, it chronicles the lives of two individuals, Hilary and Stephan, who are going through a rough patch. However, as they both confide in each other and build rapport, their union begins to heal them as they explore community, cinema, and music together. The film is a love letter to the arts, especially cinema, and is jeweled by Trent Reznor and Atticus's moving score.
For the duo, composing for any film is like a riddle that needs to be solved. This collaboration allows them to learn so much more about composing and themselves. Empire of Light's score is piano-based. The composers have expressed that the instrument really managed to bring out the "vulnerable" and "wonderous" parts of the story.
9 Before The Flood
Before The Flood is a documentary directed by Fisher Stevens about the devastating effects of climate change. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is seen in this film with his activism at an all-time high. He meets scientists, experts, and activists from around the world and discusses with them the impacts of climate change as well as the possible solutions to avoid them. Whether it is visiting melting glaciers or Indonesian tropical forests, Reznor and Atticus' score is in perfect harmony with the scenery and yet, will make you realize what is at stake in this very informative piece.
8 Waves
Waves is an emotional teen drama written and directed by Trey Edward Shults that chronicles the trials and tribulations of an American family in the wake of a tragedy. In an interview with The Ringer, Shults shared his expectations of Reznor and Ross in terms of scoring the film. “I was like, ‘My dream is if you could give me the most terrifying and scary shit you’ve done, and the most beautiful shit you’ve done.” If you've seen the film, you know they delivered.
7 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is a neo-noir psychological thriller based on the Stieg Larsson novel of the same name. In the film, Reznor and Ross experiment with different styles of music blended for a spectacular effect, telling Fresh Air's Terry Gross, "We wanted to create the sound of coldness — emotionally and also physically. We wanted to take lots of acoustic instruments ... and transplant them into a very inorganic setting, and dress the set around them with electronics."
6 mid90s
mid90s is a coming-of-age dramedy written and directed by Jonah Hill. The film is inspired by Hill's own upbringing and marks his directorial debut. The soundtrack features The Pixies, Morrissey, and Nirvana, as well as an array of 90s hip-hop. In addition to the stellar soundtrack, Reznor and Ross score mid90s with bright and beautiful musical interludes that are as far removed from Nine Inch Nails as one could imagine.
5 Mank
Mank is a David Fincher-directed biographical drama about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz at the time he developed the screenplay for Citizen Kane. Fincher reunites with frequent collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who composed the score. The duo steered clear of their usual synth music and instead opted for instrumentation truer to the sounds of the 1940s.
4 Gone Girl
Gone Girl is a murder mystery-style psychological thriller based on Gillian Flynn's 2012 novel of the same name. It follows Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) who becomes the prime suspect after the sudden disappearance of his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike). Reznor shared some insight into Fincher's expectations for the score in an interview with USA Today: "So here's what happened.
David was at the chiropractor and heard this music that was inauthentically trying to make him feel OK, and that became a perfect metaphor for this film," he says. "The challenge was simply, what is the musical equivalent of the same sort of façade of comfort and a feeling of insincerity that that music represented?"
3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross don't seem like the type of names one would expect to do the score for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, but the duo is a surprise, perfect fit for the franchise. The film focuses on the origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they find a way to become accepted by the surface world.
The duo gives the score a garage band vibe, matching the gritty, dirty dwellings of the sewers. It also infuses it with an energy fitting the teenage heroes. Their score is just one of many reasons why the movie is one of the best films of 2023 so far.
2 Soul
Soul is a Disney Pixar animated film that follows Joe Gardner a jazz musician and middle school band teacher, who dies unexpectedly before his big break, and seeks to reunite his soul with his body. The film examines themes such as the afterlife, the origin of human personalities, and following your dreams.
The movie features original jazz compositions by Jon Batiste, during the New York segments of the film, while featuring an ethereal and ambient score composed by Reznor and Ross for the otherworldly segments of the film. The score was praised by critics and won both a Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Score for the composing duo.
1 The Social Network
The Social Network is a David Fincher-directed biographical film that chronicles the creation of Facebook. It is adapted from the 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. The film is critically acclaimed and is widely regarded as the best film of 2010.
Reznor initially declined to be involved in the film due to a grueling touring and recording schedule, but ultimately asked Fincher to revisit him for consideration. The best scenes in The Social Network are made even better by the impactful score, which helps set the tone of the film. The score received high praise from critics and won nine major awards, including the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for Best Original Score.