# Do you listen to instrumental soundtrack albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies, music\ **Created:** [February 17, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939 "2023-02-17T11:03:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/21 "2023-02-17T17:06:58Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > My favorite Philip Glass score is _Candyman_ (the 1992 one), That was completely off my radar. I need to check that out. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/22 "2023-02-17T17:11:45Z")
Oh sure, certainly I’ll play some Jonny Greenwood soundtracks (like “Phantom Thread”) as background to whatever I’m doing. I think that’s about it though. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/23 "2023-02-17T20:08:37Z")
I couldn’t even guess how many times I’ve listened to the Star Wars, Cat People and Conan the Barbarian soundtracks. Amazed that 20+ posts and no mention of the incredible Ennio Morricone. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/24 "2023-02-17T20:16:04Z")
I was thinking of mentioning him in the OP, but decided it would be an unnecessary aside to my comment about soundtracks as mostly orchestral. I enjoyed his score for _The Thing_ (but never thought about listening to it as an album). ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/25 "2023-02-17T20:17:03Z")
I adore the pocket watch theme. It always makes me think of my dad because he loved it as well. Such a GREAT scene too. I think one of the best in all the Man With No Name series. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/26 "2023-02-17T20:48:11Z")
I still have this LP bought at a flea market hosted by the University of New Orleans: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uJ3kV3Icm28/maxresdefault.jpg "Meco - Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk: Star Wars (HD Vinyl Recording)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ3kV3Icm28) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/27 "2023-02-18T00:12:24Z")
John Williams fan, until the end. Many of his soundtrack albums play like a mini-symphony piece, but when the album producers get it wrong, it’s hysterical. I had **Jaws** on 8-track and the music was all over the place, plus chopped up by The Ker-chunk. I play (and own) these for fun listenin’: The Fury Jaws Jaws 2 The Towering Inferno – J. Williams Carrie – Pino Donaggio Creepshow – John Harrison Rocky – Bill Conti Sorcerer – Tangerine Dream The Stand – W.G. Snuffy Walden The Sting – Marvin Hamlisch But my favorite piece is third season **Lost In Space** TV theme. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/28 "2023-02-18T00:47:52Z")
I love the soundtrack to _Amélie_, composed by Yann Tiersen. I’ve listened to it many times. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/29 "2023-02-18T00:49:20Z")
I listen to the soundtracks done by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis quite a bit. Mainly because they sound like instrumental versions of the music that they make together in various other guises. This is often on while I am working: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/da-S57RjkTU/hqdefault.jpg "The Assassination of Jesse James (2007) - Full Expanded soundtrack (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da-S57RjkTU) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/30 "2023-02-18T00:52:11Z")
Yes, all the time. Includes video game soundtracks as well. I don’t want vocals at all for my background music, especially while working. I think most lyrics are terrible in the first place (there are exceptions), but mainly I can’t concentrate well while someone is talking in the background. So instrumental only. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/31 "2023-02-18T01:21:45Z")
I’m firmly in the “Audiobooks and Podcasts on My Phone” camp. But when a road trip gets long, I do play the _Days of Heaven_ soundtrack (Ennio Morricone\*, with a little Sans-Saëns and Kottke thrown in). Works best when the skies are doing something dramatic and I can pretend Ennio has scored my life, and this is the soundtrack to the film version of my road trip. . \*I’ll also play his soundtracks to _The Mission_ and _Hateful Eight,_ and of course the Sergio Leone “spaghetti westerns”. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/32 "2023-02-18T05:00:03Z")
Oh, yeah, there are several I listen to - there’s the soundtrack to David Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch”, by Howard Shore. It’s like the Ornette Coleman “With Strings” album he never made. There’s the game music for “Assassin’s Creed - Black Flag” - the instrumental stuff is basic faux Celtic, but the vocal soundtrack is a very fun collection of sea shanties recorded by a bunch of friends in Montréal. I’m still bitter they never asked me to join them… And may I recommend this, a collection of the soundtrack bits from the '67 to '69 run of “Spiderman”? This is some of the coolest '60s jazz-rock around. Check it out at [Spider-Man Music 1967-69 (ALL Background Music) - YouTube](https://youtu.be/yCF8JU30gXI). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/33 "2023-02-18T17:39:44Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > David Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch” Nelson chimes in: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9sL102pyaLg/hqdefault.jpg "Naked Lunch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sL102pyaLg) ---
**Author:** ![up2eleven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/up2eleven/32/13432_2.png) [@up2eleven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up2eleven)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/34 "2023-02-18T19:26:56Z")
I don’t listen often, but I really like the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack from Basil Poledouris. The Blade Runner sound track is pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/35 "2023-02-18T19:37:15Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iw17c70uJes/maxresdefault.jpg "Future Crew - Second Reality (1993) [60fps]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw17c70uJes) While not a movie soundtrack, I listen to this quite frequently. When I was in university (for the first time) I had a tape of this that I would listen to over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/36 "2023-02-18T20:04:46Z")
My local listener-supported classical FM station, which is what I listen to in the car, has included more and more instrumental movie music in their play lists. I don’t like it, but there is no other station I can stomach listening to. And it’s not just the big John Williams pieces that you might find sometimes on a symphony orchestra’s program, but just odd bits of seemingly inconsequential pieces that make for good background music but are utterly undistinguished to my ear. And there’s no doubt that their listeners like that sort of thing: they also have a listener-selected list of Top 250 “classical” music pieces that has a lot of this kind of music on it, much to my chagrin. I understand that movie music is the modern equivalent to theatrical incidental music from the 19th century, some of which has made its way into the classical music canon. But I don’t believe anyone will be remembering most of this stuff in 10 years, and I don’t think it deserves to displace genuinely good music. That’s just my grumpy old (apparently) minority opinion, of course. So no, I don’t listen to albums per se, but I do perforce listen to some of that music. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/37 "2023-02-18T23:41:26Z")
I’m a big hell yes on this one, and I probably own _nearly_ as many instrumental soundtracks as I do sung albums. Although I collect them at least as much (well, in the past) for music to have in the background when running TTRPGS or sitting down to a good CRPG. Ones I own that have been mentioned by one or more posters upthread: Henry V (used in part for my wedding no less!), Conan the Barbarian (at least weekly), Red October score, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Blade Runner, The Crow (Graeme Revell score album, but also the ‘songs from’ version!), Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, Tron: Legacy, Requiem for a Dream, The Mummy (first), Pirates of the Caibbean. Ones I like but haven’t been mentioned (or I missed them): Waterworld, Penny Dreadful, Ladyhawke (when in the mood), Children of Dune (TV Mini-series), Batman (Danny Elfman), The Forbidden Kingdom, Serenity, Firefly (TV series), Interview with the Vampire (Goldenthal), The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly (I know Morricone was mentioned upthread, but this is the only one I own), The Chronicles of Riddick, Inception (Am I the only one for this???), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Kingdom of Heaven, Braveheart, Krull (again, a mood thing, because it’s not great but evocative!), Troy (Horner), Willow (see Krull and Ladyhawke), Iron Monkey, Pan’s Labyrinth, Star Wars (OG and Episode 1), Time Machine (Badelt), Neverending Story, Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (awesome), Star Trek (Nu, Giacchino), Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (Kamen), Record of the Lodoss War (OG and Chronicles of the Heroic Knight), Doctor Who (Nu Who), Man in the Iron Mask (also awesome), The Rock, Legend (both the OG pre Tangerine Dream soundtrack and the instrumental post TG pieces), Dune (1985). And that leaves out various Video Game Instrumentals which I heartily recommend, especially Ori and the Blind Forest as well as Child of Light, with an honorable mention to Skyrim. (Quite a few more I’m sure, but those are from a quick glance through my Plex server, which doesn’t include most of my digital only albums) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/38 "2023-02-18T23:55:56Z")
I have a large collection of soundtracks that are song compilations, but I have a few instrumental ones. I bought the soundtrack for _Little Children_, however, strictly for the final track (the music played with the end titles). I loved it as soon as I heard it and had to have it. The rest of the cd was decent, but that last one was worth the price by itself. I could imagine it as music a choreographer would choose and was pleasantly surprised when we went to see the Joffrey do the 75th anniversary recreation of _Le Sacre du Printemps_, and that music was used for one of the dances they did before the intermission. I was _seriously_ happy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/39 "2023-02-19T00:01:12Z")
I have an album of Bernard Herrmann film scores - mostly from Hitchcock movies but also including “Taxi Driver”. Great stuff. There’s nothing like the soundtrack to “Psycho” or "North by Northwest’ playing while you’re at work. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939/40 "2023-02-19T00:48:18Z")
I have simple wants, and one of them is to camp out in Monument Valley and wake up before any hint of morning twilight starts. Then I’ll sit and watch the sunlight come in and start to fill the valley. And when I do that, I’ll have some of the _Dances with Wolves_ soundtrack going, like this piece — [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PdCDLgX6ecc/maxresdefault.jpg "Journey To Fort Sedgwick Part 1 (Director's Cut)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdCDLgX6ecc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-listen-to-instrumental-soundtrack-albums/979939.md?page=3)