Best Horror Films with Incredible Soundtracks
A great horror score doesn't just accompany the fear — it creates it. These are the films where the music is inseparable from the experience: Carpenter's minimalist synth pulse, Goblin's prog-rock assault, Herrmann's shrieking strings. Remove the soundtrack and the film stops working. Every entry here earned its place because the music is a genuine reason the film is remembered.
20 films· Updated 10 Apr 2026
The Return of the Living Dead(1985)
#14
Dir. Dan O'Bannon
Well reviewed
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Frequently Asked Questions
What horror film has the best soundtrack?
Suspiria (1977) — Goblin's score is essentially a prog-rock album that happens to accompany a witch film. It's aggressive, disorienting, and completely unlike any other horror score. Halloween (1978) is the most iconic single theme. The Exorcist (1973) made Tubular Bells synonymous with dread.
Are these all orchestral scores?
No. Halloween and The Thing are synth. Suspiria and Deep Red are prog-rock. It Follows uses a retro-synth score. Green Room uses punk. The Substance uses electronic. The range is deliberate — great horror music comes in every form.
What about films with great licensed music?
An American Werewolf in London uses 'Bad Moon Rising' and 'Blue Moon' to devastating ironic effect. The Return of the Living Dead has a punk soundtrack that defines its tone. We've included films with both original scores and exceptional licensed music.