Ranking John Carpenter Scores

John Carpenter has had an amazing career in film. Whether he’s directing, producing, creating the score, or even sometimes acting, it’s always fun to experience a project with John Carpenter involved. I think however, the top two lanes that people appreciate him for are directing and scoring. Given that we talk about music on this blog, we’re going to rank some John Carpenter scores. But here’s the thing; Carpenter has scored 24 films, and some are in franchises. And given that it’s spooky season, I decided to make this blog easier to read by narrowing it down to 12 of his horror films. Technically yes, more than 12 of the 24 are horror or horror-adjacent. I decided to group a franchise together, so it’s more like 15 films in this ranking, and a few other horror didn’t make the cut because this is my top 12, so if you see a film missing, it’s likely not high up in my personal ranking (looking at you, Firestarter from 2022).

When it comes to rankings, you have to accept that whoever’s writing is going to have personal biases or preferences which help you, the reader, determine when you stand with your own ranking. This is just for fun, and I'm no Carpenter expert, so by all means tell me how’d you rank these in comments! I also want to make it clear that I don’t dislike any of these scores, so even one ranked at the bottom doesn’t mean I think it sucks; it’s more that I like others more. With those caveats out of the way, let’s get started. 

We’ll begin at the bottom.  

12. Studio 666

I love that Carpenter took on this score because so many of his horror scores are meant to be unsettling but in Studio 666, it’s used in a lighthearted way. For those unfamiliar, Studio 666 was made by the rock band The Foo Fighters in secret as they actually recorded their 10^th studio album Medicine at Midnight. The intensity of the horror score with this comedic approach feeds into the campy feeling of the film. Made so late in his career, it’s nice to see Carpenter taking on such a fun and goofy project (and making a cameo in the film). The music is also really good. He somehow manages to blend derivative standard horror music with an actually compelling and unique score. A seemingly basic score but enough unique layers that indicate that it’s Carpenter behind it. That said, it’s still my least favorite because it’s not one I see myself listening to outside of the film. 

11. Vampires

The score for Vampires has a very old Western feel, particularly in the opening scene as they work to ambush a nest of vampires. Given its setting, the western music fits well. The scenes with the priests have organ music underlined with dread. The running theme where it has an almost gong sound in the background of the western theme makes you want to bob your head. That said, it isn’t one of my favorites, and the western feel isn’t to my personal taste, so it’s near the bottom. 

10. Prince of Darkness

What makes the Prince of Darkness score so good are the ethereal voices laced with the ominous basslines and futuristic synthesizers. As the characters of the film struggle with the blurring of reality, we feel that dissonance in the music. So much of this film is a build up, creating an interesting setup that makes you wait until the final 20 minutes to get any sort of payoff. If I were ranking based only on film enjoyment, this would be at the bottom, as it’s kind of forgettable outside of a cool premise, but the music itself is really effective. It fits the mystery of the film well, and I have to give it props for keeping me totally entranced for the first half of this film. 

9. Christine

The score for this one is quite subtle in the beginning. This is an instance of actual songs featured in the film on top of Carpenter’s score. It makes you wonder at first if you’re going to feel his touch but just as the flashes of horror come into the plot, we hear Carpenter’s signature synthesizers, particularly when people interact with the car Christine. As Arnie falls further under Christine’s spell, he becomes more erratic and aggressive, only wanting to spend time with his car. Carpenter described his film Village of the Damned as having a romantic score, but I would argue the song when Christine puts herself back together has far more of a romantic vibe. The movie doesn’t really get good until the horror kicks in about 45 minutes in and this is where Carpenter’s score really starts to shine. The music during the chase scene is reminiscent of Halloween, which could be why I vibe with it so much even though I don’t love the movie.  

8. They Live

The score for They Live is such a vibe. I really like how moody it is. That opening track “Coming to LA” really sets the tone of the opening scene. What makes this one stand out from others is the blues influences weaved together with a synth, tech sound. It fits the dystopian themes of the movies perfectly while also feeling very 80s listening to it from a modern lens.  The main melody features notes of saxophone and harmonica on top of the synthesizer which blends well together to conjure up an image of a lone cowboy entering town. As the score continues, it’s clear something darker is going on in the plot. If there’s one thing Carpenter loves to showcase in his scores, it’s rebelling against authority, and having this story set in a dystopian world where humanity is being subtly controlled and manipulated by powerful, unseen forces through subliminal messaging, the film is all about rebellion. While I like the movie and enjoy the score, it isn’t one I would find myself listening to outside of the film either, so it’s ranked lower for that reason. 

7. Halloween (The Strode Saga, 2018-2022)

I’m lumping the new trilogy together to make things easier (and to keep this at a nice 12). This trilogy had a different vision than the original, happening through a modern lens, which means Carpenter had to revamp the original iconic score fans loved from the original. But really, some music used in this trilogy from the original score feels primarily the same. So, at that point, what’s the use comparing? Even so, it’s still a John Carpenter Halloween score, so it’s gonna be awesome and have a new flair to it. The newer tracks that connect to the new story being told by David Gordon Green makes this score stand out and feel different. And truly, any score from any movie in this trilogy gives the creepy Michael Myers energy a fan like me loves from the music of the franchise. Some new ones created like “Michael Kills Again” go super hard, oozing with dread, and same goes for “The Shape and Laurie Fight.” This score feels like what you know and love about the Halloween score with some new ones sprinkled in to add something extra, but there aren’t that many cool tracks to write home about in the sequels Halloween Kills or Halloween Ends that aren’t homages to the original score. So, looking at the trilogy overall, it’s good but it doesn’t stand out as much as others. 

6. Halloween II

In the theme for the sequel to Halloween, Carpenter takes the original theme and overlays it with sounds that feel almost techy. That’s because it was played on a synthesizer organ rather than a piano. In fact, most of the themes we know and love from the first film are played on a synthesizer. With this, he added a new feel to the classic version we know, making it feel fresh for this follow-up film that Carpenter didn’t even want to make at all. There are some new songs that appear in this one too that add to the eerie hospital setting like, “Operation Room” which also uses a synthesizer and high-pitched notes to ramp up the tension. 

5. "Village of the Damned"  

This is such an underrated gem from Carpenter’s filmography, and the score is awesome. Carpenter describes this score as romantic, which I find fascinating because that is not the vibe I get while listening to it, but I do agree it feels much more epic than some of his other creations. It balances an epic and eerie vibe spectacularly. Carpenter collaborated with Dave Davies for this score, with Davies contributing acoustic and electric guitars. Incorporating the live instruments makes this score feel different from others he’s made. With an unhinged premise like this, one may not think the score would be anything to marvel over, but if you still haven’t seen this film or listened to the score, I implore you to check it out. It’s ranked so high for good reason!   

4. The Fog  

People tend to love The Fog less for its plot and more for its ambiance. The score matches that vibe perfectly. With ominous warbling as the men are killed and then building up with tension as the stalking begins, you feel as on edge as the characters. But as the kills happen, the score goes quiet before fading away, so you’re forced to hear the killing. It’s a brutal choice, but I love it. I just love this score. It has such an unsettling energy but also fits the small-town setting. I’d say it’s one that resembles the score made for Halloween, so perhaps that’s why I vibe with it so much. The lingering slow-moving fog that precedes the horror of the film is accompanied by a slow creeping score that oozes dread. 

3. Halloween III: Season of the Witch  

Halloween III is a film that feels so different from the first two Halloween films in story but also in its soundtrack. Gone is the iconic theme we know but the synthesizers stick around. This score overall has more of an electronic soundscape, replacing the piano melodies entirely with a new, ominous synthesizer theme. What really elevates this score is the creation of the TV commercial for Silver Shamrock which is such an earworm. Once heard, you’re going to have it in your head for life. It’s ranked so highly because of the way it can be listened to outside the film with such ease (for me personally at least). 

2. In the Mouth of Madness 

In the Mouth of Madness is such a well-rounded film from Carpenter. The plot is engaging, the score is the perfect level of uncanny and eerie, and the cast is stellar. The opening theme has a rock feel which fits well with the plot’s themes of a horror writer’s stories causing people to go mad. Carpenter collaborated with Jim Lang to create a score that would reflect the Lovecraftian horror of the film while having Carpenter’s signature flair. The score features his classic synthesizers but also a fair amount of guitar and percussion. I do admit that given how engaging the plot is, you sometimes don’t notice the music- but one could argue that’s the point given that the story is about being affected by the material being experienced. Perhaps I was so sucked in that I forgot to listen to the score. I played right into Sutter Cane’s hands...Still upon listening to it outside the film, I think it’s great and fits the story very well. 

1. Halloween  

I’m a huge fan of the Halloween franchise and the score for the first Halloween film is hands-down my favorite and the best of his scores. It’s too iconic to rank it any lower than #1. Given that Carpenter has created scores for five other Halloween films, it’s considered one of his best for good reason. It’s the music that Michael Myers walks to, as he stalks his prey, that make him so unsettling to watch onscreen. Without the score, he’s just a guy walking slowly. With the theme written by Carpenter, Myers becomes a true killer. It’s my favorite score because of its relistening value. The entire score can be played on Halloween, all of fall, or even year-round if horror isn’t restricted to one time of year for you. 

There’s my personal ranking! Hope you weren’t taking a shot every time I used the word “eerie.” I couldn’t help myself. That is the perfect word to describe scores created by John Carpenter. And while some folks may find it lame that I put Halloween’s score in first place given it’s his most popular film but you cannot deny the brilliance behind that score. It couldn’t be put anywhere but number one! Well, that’s all for me, but I’d love to know how you’d rank these 12 horror scores from Carpenter. Would Halloween be your number one too? Sound off in the comments, and thanks for reading. 

Written by Kristen Petronio