2022 has once again provided us with a wide selection of great film scores that narrowing it down to just 5 was a difficult task. Our picks this year include the soundtrack to a murder mystery, the sounds of an alien invasion horror film, and a new sound for an iconic superhero.

Here are our picks for the Best Original Film Scores/Soundtracks in 2022.

– Ashley Hobley

5.) Nope

Michael Ables

Mirroring the film itself, the original score for Nope is an eclectic mix of sounds that, out of context, may be confusing. “Not Good” is a haunting play of strings, “Jupiter’s Claim” is a swing-ding 50’s inspired theme, and “Nope” is a western showdown. The piece that stands with me, however, is “The Run (Urban Legends)“, which pairs with one of the film’s biggest moments, and one that was made for the big screen. As such, the music bounces as we build up to the crescendo on-screen and in our ears.

– Dylan Blight

4.) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Nathan Johnson

Returning to score the second Knives Out film, Nathan Johnson provides another fantastic and fitting soundtrack to a whodunnit. Evoking the murder mysteries which provided inspiration to director Rian Johnson, there is a constant sense of intrigue and mystery that runs through all the tracks. From the grand orchestral “Theme from Glass Onion” to the more subdued “Andi’s Theme”, there is a wide range of musical pieces which make you question each character’s motive and actions.

– Ashley Hobley

3.) The Woman King

Terrence Blanchard

The Woman King is an action-heavy historical epic that required a powerful score to match it, one that famed composer Terence Blanchard provided. With the 80th score in his career, Blanchard mixed the sound of a classical orchestra with the instrumentation of west African culture. So many action sequences and dramatic scenes are enhanced by powerful tracks like “The Woman King”, “Oyo Battle” and “A Shark’s Tooth”, many featuring choral arrangements which only intensify their impact.

– Ashley Hobley

2.) Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Alexandre Desplat

Guillermo Del Toro’s retelling of a boy made of wood coming to life with magic has a bit of magic of its own in the form of Alexandre Desplat’s whimsical and sincere score. Made entirely with instruments made of wood in order to capture the essence of the main character, Desplat’s score enhances both playful (“Resurrection”) and sombre moments (“The Pine Cone”) while songs like “Ciao Papa”, which he collaborated on with Roeban Katz and Del Toro, are incredibly moving.

– Ashley Hobley

1.) The Batman

Michael Giacchino

Batman has had many iconic themes over his history, from Danny Elfman’s score for Batman (1989) to Hans Zimmer‘s score for The Dark Knight Trilogy or even the theme to Batman (1966). So Michael Giacchino was taking up the mammoth task of finding the right sound for Matt Reeves’ The Batman but he absolutely nailed it with a score that is equal to those mentioned.

Giacchino’s score perfectly captures the tone and atmosphere of this version of Gotham City while containing one of the most memorable melodic lines of the year which finds its way into many of the score’s tracks. Add the bold use of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” and you had a perfectly sounding Batman film.

– Ashley Hobley

Dylan Blight and Ashley Hobley compiled this Top 5 list. The movies nominated must have had a theatrical release in a cinema, VOD or on a streaming platform between December 27th 2021 – December 27th 2022.