U.K.-based movie fans have voted for their favorite movie score of all time, with Howard Shore’s epic The Lord of the Rings work emerging as the winner.
Topping the vote for the third year in a row in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame, audiences first heard Shore’s moving piece in the first Lord of the Rings movie in 2001. You can enjoy it in the video at the top of this page.
Commenting on the win, the Canadian-born composer said: “It’s an honor that The Lord of the Rings has topped the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame for the third year running,” adding: “It’s wonderful that audiences continue to enjoy this musical journey through J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and I am thrilled the music resonates so strongly today.”
Classic FM presenter Jonathan Ross, who announced the winning score on Monday, described The Lord of the Rings as “legendary in every sense — the storytelling, the world-building, and of course, Howard Shore’s unforgettable music.”
Ross added: “It’s a score that sweeps you away to another world, and I’m not surprised that our listeners have crowned it number one again.”
In the vote for the nation’s favorite movie music composer, Williams tied with Hans Zimmer, with each securing 11 entries in the top 100 movie scores. Zimmer’s Interstellar climbed seven places from last year to make it into the top 10, though his top-ranking work was Gladiator, which took fourth spot. American movie composer John Williams, meanwhile, had three scores in the top 10, including Schindler’s List at number 2.
Here are the top 10 movie scores of all time, according to movie fans in the U.K.
1. The Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore
2. Schindler’s List – John Williams
3. Star Wars – John Williams
4. Gladiator – Hans Zimmer
5. Jurassic Park – John Williams
6. Out of Africa – John Barry
7. Dances with Wolves – John Barry
8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Ennio Morricone
9. Interstellar – Hans Zimmer
10. Wilde – Debbie Wiseman
