Howard Shore’s iconic score to The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the nation’s most popular film music, topping the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame for a second consecutive year.
The top 100 pieces of film music were played on Classic FM during a celebratory day (Monday 26th August) capturing the big emotions and sparking fond memories of some of the best-loved films. The number one was revealed by presenter Jonathan Ross just before 7pm. More than 10,000 votes were cast by the public and the full Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame is available to view or to listen to on Global Player – the official Classic FM app.
Premiering in 2001, the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy had phenomenal worldwide success, becoming the highest grossing film series ever and winning the hearts of Middle-earth fans the world over. The enduring appeal of Shore’s otherworldly scores have taken the composer to the top of the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame, as well as garnering three Academy Awards, four GRAMMYs and two Golden Globes. More recently, fans have been enjoying Shore’s main title theme to the blockbuster TV series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, with music for the series composed by Bear McCreary. Season two of The Rings of Power is set to premiere on Thursday (29th August).
Howard Shore’s score beat movie music rival John Williams, who was pipped into second and third place with his seminal themes for Schindler’s List and Star Wars respectively. However, John Williams remains the nation’s favourite composer of film music, with six entries in the top 20 alone, including Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Indiana Jones and Saving Private Ryan.
“I’m proud and delighted to have maintained my crown at the top of the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame. Thank you so much to the many Classic FM listeners who voted. I’m very happy that film fans are still connecting to my music and the journey to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”
Howard Shore, composer of The Lord of the Rings trilogy scores
Olympic fever is clearly still gripping the nation as Vangelis’ stirring Chariots of Fire vaults up two places into the top 10.
Also in the top 10 are acclaimed composers Hans Zimmer (Gladiator), John Barry (Dances with Wolves, Out of Africa) and Ennio Morricone (The Mission and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). Female composers feature across the full top 100, led by Classic FM’s composer in residence Debbie Wiseman, with her music to Wilde at number 13. Angela Morley’s beloved score for Watership Down is at number 60; Icelandic musician-composer Hildur Guðnadóttir’s multi-award-winning arrangement for Joker is at number 78; Disney’s Encanto secured Germaine Franco’s position at number 90, while Rachel Portman’s beautiful music to Chocolat is at number 92.
There are some big new entries into the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame too. Hans Zimmer’s Academy Award-winning score to Dune is at number 69; John Murphy’s score to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is at number 75, while The Hunger Games, composed by James Newton Howard, is at number 94.
“The Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame is one of my favourite days of the year, celebrating the very best film scores from across the decades.
Howard Shore’s incredible music is so integral to The Lord of the Rings films, bringing to life the beautiful, spectacular stories. I’m thrilled to see his music sticking in the hearts – and ears – of Classic FM listeners.”
Jonathan Ross, presenter of Classic FM at the Movies
Classic FM is available across the UK on Global Player, 100-102 FM, DAB digital radio and TV, and ClassicFM.com.
