The Best Movie Scores and Soundtracks of 2022 (2025)

A movie score carries the massive responsibility of setting the mood of the film. It illustrates the emotion, marks tonal shifts, and builds the cinematic universe. The score also acts as a rhythmic bridge between scenes that offers the audience a chance to exist in the flow and charm of the movie. But when a score is successful, it elicits the same feelings that the movie itself is trying to convey, giving us an experience that is nothing short of magical.

Meanwhile, a soundtrack, which evokes a similar ambiance is a smart selection of lyrical songs carefully chosen to accompany the film’s energy. The songs can be pre-existing or originally made for the film, either way, they enhance the storytelling and allow our reality to be pulled into the movie’s world. This year’s eclectic assortment of new movie releases provided some iconic music moments that we will no doubt be carrying with us into the new year. So, what are they? We are looking back at the 10 best scores and soundtracks of 2022.

Related: 10 Best Film Scores That Can Be Enjoyed Without The Movie

'The Batman'

The early days of 2022 saw the release of the widely anticipated film The Batman. When the trailer featured Nirvana’s “Something in the Way,” it was clear that music would be a defining factor in Matt Reeve’s version. Composer Michael Giacchino had to make quite the jump from his usual projects like Up, Ratatouille and Zootopia into the dark world of Gotham. The music in the film provided an impressive atmospheric gloom that perfectly encapsulated the dread and cynicism of Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne. Featured on the original music album are theme songs for each major character, The Batman, Catwoman and The Riddler. The haunting musical aura surrounding the film was one of the factors that set this version apart from previous iterations of the vigilante story.

'TÁR'

A film about one of the most prestigious orchestras in the world and its conductor, is bound to have extraordinary music. Todd Field’s TÁR has an entrancing blend of original score and classic symphony pieces that relate to the story. Behind the musical composition is Oscar-winning Hildur Guðnadóttir, best known for her unforgettable Joker score. The driving force of TÁR is the music, and it embodies the personal tempo of the main character Lydia Tár. Since much of the film takes place in orchestra rehearsal, the music in that space carries a seamlessly different tone to the score that backs the rest of the movie. The classical piece “Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor” by Gustav Mahler is a crucial plot device in the film and is heard throughout the runtime. Guðnadóttir pulled off remarkable double duty by not only composing the pieces that exist in TÁR’s world but also creating the alluring yet disenchanting score that defines the film.

'Nope'

Jordan Peele’s Nope marks his third collaboration with composer Michael Abels. Since Peele is still developing his own filmmaking style, working with the same musician has helped shape his auteurism. Nope combines thriller, sci-fi, adventure, and western genres, so the score had to echo the same. Abels nailed the sounds of fearful otherworldly suspense caused by the alien presence while also including an inviting tone of wonderment toward the unknown. The score blends a new-age modern-horror sound with classic sci-fi tones akin to John Williams. The soundtrack also includes a slowed and reverbed version of Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night,” “Walk on By” by Dionne Warwick, and “This Is The Lost Generation” by The Lost Generation.

'Elvis'

Accompanying the larger-than-life musical biopic, Elvis, is its star-studded soundtrack. Naturally, the movie included many actual Elvis Presley songs and many sung by lead actor Austin Butler in an eerily accurate impersonation. Butler embodied the King of Rock and Roll with covers of “Hound Dog,” “Trouble,” and “Baby, Let’s Play House.” Director Baz Luhrmann has a history of compiling modern-day artists to contribute to his movie soundtracks. For Elvis, he enlisted Eminem, Doja Cat, and Denzel Curry to create original songs to pair with the film’s energy. Additionally, artists like Kacey Musgraves, Stevie Nicks, Måneskin, and Jack White provided their versions of classic Elvis songs. The soundtrack was recently nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award.

'Bones and All'

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are the masters behind some of the greatest film scores of the last decade. Including, but not limited to, The Social Network, Waves, Gone Girl, and Soul. This year they composed the score to Luca Guadagnino's Bones and All. What made the sounds behind the cannibalistic love story stand out this year was how much the score actually elevated the movie. The consistent use of acoustic guitar perfectly mirrored the gritty Americana essence of the film. The score has songs like “I’m With You (Always),” which epitomize the movie’s young romance between Lee (Timothée Chalamet) and Maren (Taylor Russell), as well as chilling songs like “Lost Girls,” that pair with the monstrous, bloody undertones of the story. Reznor and Ross’s contributions rarely include their vocals, but they both sang on the original song “(You Made It Feel Like) Home.”

'Pearl'

Ti West’s X-traordinary Origin Story, Pearl, was one of the more unique releases of 2022. Specific details make the A24 movie more intricate to score than it seems. Firstly, It takes place in 1917 on farmland in middle America, which begs a particular sound. Secondly, it relies on its influence and homages to classic films like The Wizard of Oz, which calls for an even more distinct type of music. Lastly, it is a merciless horror film that doesn’t cut away from its most terrifying moments. Somehow, composers Tyler Bates and Timothy Williams effortlessly combined all the elements of Pearl to create a wistfully creepy score. Their sounds illustrate the hopeful beauty of the American Dream and the desolate downfall of realizing it doesn’t exist. Leading up to the film’s release, Bates and Williams released “Pearl Main Titles,” revealing the orchestral tones that sublimely represent the spirit of Pearl.

'Everything Everywhere All at Once'

For a film on the massive scale that Everything Everywhere All at Once is, the soundtrack needs to live up to that caliber. Director duo The Daniels tapped the band Son Lux to compose the music for the film, a project that took the musicians two years to complete. Their long and hard work certainly paid off because the original score is the perfect counterpart to the audacious film. The score incorporated sounds that could portray the mundanity of the Wang family’s everyday life, as well as the fantastical mysticism of the multiverse. The original motion picture soundtrack also includes features from artists Mitski, David Byrne, Moses Sumney, Randy Newman, and André 3000. Listening to the album on its own can evoke the same whirlwind of emotions that the film does, and that’s due to the diligent talent of Son Lux.

'Babylon'

Jazz music was an integral part of Damien Chazelle’s previous films, Whiplash and La La Land, and that is no different with his newest feat, Babylon. Chazelle’s frequent collaborator and Academy Award-winning composer Justin Hurwitz crafted a bustling 42-track original score to accompany the lively film. The film takes place in the 1920s, so big-band jazz was the foundation for most of the sounds, but the sexually-charged, illustrious nature of the movie called for elements of dance and rock music to be weaved in. The Old Hollywood period is portrayed by adding sections of ragtime piano, carnival accordion, sultry saxophone, and blaring trumpets. Hurwitz successfully transports you back to the golden age with his vivaciously alive composition.

'The Banshees of Inisherin'

Carter Burwell is one of the most prominent film composers working today, and his score for The Banshees of Inisherin proves why. The music he provided for the film brilliantly captured the dreariness of Ireland, the grimness of the characters, and the lighthearted sense of humor. It shows that Burwell thoroughly understands the director Martin McDonagh’s vision and tone, especially since they’ve collaborated numerous times before. Many of the sounds used are somewhat childlike or reminiscent of a fairytale that echoes the immaturity of Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson). To achieve that, he chose to use delicate instruments like the celeste, harp, and flute. There’s a gentle delicacy to the score, which is highlighted by its use of the celesta, harp and flute. Burwell was the perfect musician to build the melancholy mood of Inisherin.

'Pinocchio'

French film composer Alexandre Desplat is highly accomplished and decorated in his craft and is most well known for his collaborations with Wes Anderson. His ability to create nostalgia from music made him the perfect match for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Fitting with the movie’s lore, Desplat took his skills to the next level by composing the film using only wood instruments. The limitation did not hinder the score but, instead, gave it a feeling of being alive. The playful tones expected from a kid’s movie are present, as are the mythically somber notes expected from a del Toro film. Desplat’s music combined with del Toro’s visuals admirably and successfully captured the loss of innocence and childlike wonderment in Pinocchio.