# IMDB: why everything but soundtrack score?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 31, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219 "2009-05-31T01:29:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219/1 "2009-05-31T01:29:27Z")

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We’re watching \*[Arachnaphobia](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099052/)\*in the the store, and I was commenting on how much I hate this fake-John-Williams style soundtrack score, and then I was wondering if maybe it was real John Williams–which is of course even worse. So I go to IMDB, despite knowing that it would be a waste of time.

Why does IMDB list every frickin minor best boy gaffer’s water carrier but it’s always next to impossible to find out who composed the soundtrack score?

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**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219/2 "2009-05-31T01:38:17Z")

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[Original Music by  
Trevor Jones](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099052/fullcredits)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219/3 "2009-05-31T01:47:24Z")

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Funny how that listing is separate from all the other listings under the Music Department heading. It’s also interesting how searching for the words “soundtrack” and “score” get you zilch.

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**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdb-why-everything-but-soundtrack-score/498219/4 "2009-05-31T02:55:46Z")

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Well, it just emulates the sequence of traditional end credits. Major production credits are always listed first with single title cars, but then the departmental stuff comes later in the crawl. That’s equally true for editing, VFX, production design, sound, etc.

It looks like IMDB also standardizes their major credit nomenclature, and uses “original music” for composers. Soundtrack is too easily confused with song assemblies and compilations, so it makes sense why they wouldn’t use that term.