With Halloween coming up, a lot of us are being brave and sitting down to watch a horror movie. Although we often remember the terrifying scenes, the jump scares and the villains that haunt your nightmares for days, one of the most important (and scary) elements is the music.

We all know that music can impact how we feel. A well crafted score can manipulate our emotions, build suspense, and leave a lasting impression after the movie ends. The next time you hear the song from that film that kept you up at night, you might feel spooked out, even if you’re in a shopping centre in the middle of the day. 

But which horror movies have the best soundtracks? We broke down the ones we thought were the most iconic - whether it’s through unnerving strings, eerie synths or weird silences, these scores have made a mark. 

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Halloween (1978), John Carpenter

This one just had to be first, right? It’s perfect. 

John Carpenter not only composed the score for Halloween, he also directed the film. The repetitive, high-pitched piano melody is simple yet scary, giving us a sense of dread when listening. One of the key characteristics is that the song is in 5/4 time, making it sound asymmetrical, almost like you’re being chased. 

Using just a few notes and a pulsing rhythm, the song reflects the relentless stalking of Michael Myers. It builds tension, and is instantly recognisable over 40 years later. 

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Psycho (1960), Bernard Herrmann

The soundtrack for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is pretty string-heavy. ‘The Murder’, the most famous piece, accompanies the iconic shower scene, where shrieking violins mimic the stabbing motion of the knife. It’s difficult to listen to, meaning the audience feel uncomfortable. 

It’s a score that really uses strings to create tension and panic. The sharp, dissonant notes give the film its anxious, nerve-rattling energy. Even when there’s nothing happening on screen, the music creates a scary atmosphere, keeping viewers on edge. 

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The Exorcist (1973), Mike Oldfield

This is a unique one - the song commonly associated with The Exorcist wasn’t actually composed for the film. Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ was chosen for the opening sequence - the piece’s haunting, minimalist piano set the stage for the film, and became synonymous with it. 

The song is simple and menacing. There are a lot of great horror music moments in the film, but ‘Tubular Bells’ is the most memorable. 

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The Shining (1980), Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind

The soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining makes it all the more scary, alongside the unsettling imagery. The composers used a combination of electronic music and classical compositions to create an eerie atmosphere that slowly drives both the characters and the audience to madness.

One of the standout pieces is the opening theme, which uses low, rumbling synths and ominous tones to immediately convey a sense of doom. It sticks in your mind, just like the movie. 

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Jaws (1975), John Williams 

We’ve put it last as it’s not technically a horror movie, but how could we talk about scary scores without talking about Jaws? The two note-motif that signals the approach of the shark is a masterclass in suspense-building. 

The tension builds rhythmically, starting off slow and building in speed towards its climax - it feels unrelenting. 

The semitone leitmotif in the lower strings that everyone thinks of when the word ‘Jaws’ is mentioned, in combination with the other sections of the orchestra, create an ambiguous tonal centre, leading to an unsettled atmosphere as the music doesn’t necessarily have a clear harmonic ‘base’. Us listeners like harmony and order, sparking fear if it’s not present.

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It’s clear that the fight for the ‘best’ horror movie score is far too subjective, we all have our favourites. But one thing is for sure - music is a huge part of cinematic fears.