An excellent score can make or break our experiences on the silver screen, and some movies and TV series are best remembered by the stunning chords that power our emotions through all the action. From a well-placed pop hit to a stunning self-created soundtrack, these evocative musical moments help shape our experience of what we’re watching. Without them, the experience would be far less rich.
2022 has offered up some truly memorable TV and Movie moments throughout the month. If you want a breakdown of what was trending then check out ExpressVPN’s 2022 summary, otherwise here are our favorite soundtracks from the year.
Game of Thrones
There’s a reason that the creators of the brand new House of the Dragon spin-off series kept those iconic opening notes for the new series, too. While the antics of the tangled Targaryen family may be what keeps us tuning in over and over again, the unmistakable credits score for Game of Thrones was a crucial part in establishing this TV series’ grip on pop culture. If you’re finally catching up on the series, this infographic on the various members of the Targaryen family could help you get up to speed. The opening song for the series is so loved that you will find many YouTube loops if you can’t get your fill from just the standard credits.
Jurassic World Dominion
With big dinos come powerful soundtracks! Despite being released almost 3 decades ago, few don’t recognize the stirring string-heavy central theme from this iconic entry into the movie Hall of Fame. Jurassic World Dominion was released in June 2022 with Michael Giacchino, who wrote the music for the previous two Jurassic World films, returning as the composer for Dominion. Fans of the franchise were treated to old classic melodies from John Williams, as well as Giacchino’s unique take on the soundtrack.
Encanto
Disney’s Encanto broke records as ‘We don’t talk about Bruno’ became the highest ranked song on the billboard rankings (surpassing ‘Let it go’). The movie benefited from the work of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco both helping create the original soundtrack which garnered so much attention. Encanto is the first Disney film to have produced a number-one song and a number-one album.
Stranger Things
A show that can make a chart-topping global hit out of a decades-old song certainly belongs on the list. Stranger Things has acquired something of a reputation for perfectly matching music to key scenes, heightening the drama and pathos in each. In fact, we’d go as far as to say some of the most iconic scenes wouldn’t have hit anywhere near as hard without the powerful music choices underlying them. Just another reason to watch this fantastic series.
Rings of Power
Amazon’s hotly anticipated Rings of Power brought us back to Peter Jackson’s land of elves, dwarves and men. The series aired on HBO Max and focuses on a time before the beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy, as we follow a younger Galadriel, Elrond and other characters in their journeys. The soundtrack beautifully accompanies the series as themes immerse the audience into different areas of Middle Earth.
The power of music to shape a movie or TV experience should never be underestimated. Even when we don’t first notice the stirring tones behind the action, they have a powerful effect on the overall package- so why not try a few of these classics out today?
