movies/tv

From Blockbusters to Indie Flicks: The Impact of 2000s Movie Soundtracks & Film Scores

Musicnotes

Aug 24, 2023 • 4 min read

The 2000s were a unique time in the history of film because they came just before Netflix and other streaming services' takeover of the industry and just after the widespread mastery of digital production techniques. Naturally, within this short-lived golden age, musical scores thrived. Here are a few of the best 2000s movie soundtracks and their impacts on the wider culture.

Harry Potter Series

John Williams has long been the man to go to for a memorable soundtrack on a big-budget film. For decades, he produced some of the most distinct, iconic film scores ever to grace movie theater sound systems. When the film adaptation of the most successful book series of all time found purchase in Hollywood, he was the obvious choice.

Not surprisingly, Williams rose to the occasion. For the first three Harry Potter films, he produced whimsical, catchy hooks that perfectly encapsulated the energy of JK Rowling's masterful series. He also created themes for many of its main characters and villains, bringing an emotional resonance to their on-screen moments.

Subsequent directors tasked with the series' sequels added their own diverse melodies and moments, reflecting the evolving and ever-darkening tone of the films. Each would see exposure in countless video games and orchestral tours, creating a cascade of cultural effects. Today, you can hear hints of Harry Potter in dozens of films and TV series.

Lord of the Rings Series

The Lord of the Rings books took a long time to see a proper movie adaptation. Sure, there was the animated film and some foreign made-for-tv attempts, but the scope of Tolkien's greatest work simply couldn't be conveyed until technology caught up. Thankfully, it did, and the result was nothing short of earth-shattering.

When it was released, Lord of the Rings became a cultural phenomenon. It also featured one of the best 2000s movie soundtracks, which sold millions of copies worldwide.

Composer Howard Shore had skyrocketed himself into scoring superstardom. His arrangements juxtaposed lighthearted, classically English themes with dark, dissonant ones. He created melodies for each of the film's multiple perspectives and wove them subtly throughout the series' massive runtime.

Shore created such a memorable soundtrack that Tolkien's work would be further immortalized in the collective psyche. If this wasn't already guaranteed, the subsequent Hobbit films, concert series, board games, video game adaptations, and merchandising efforts ensured that it was.

Wes Anderson Films

Wes Anderson is among the most distinct film directors to have achieved notoriety during the 2000s. Known for his quirky, colorful, and awkward style, he appealed to a select audience of devoted viewers.

Between The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and The Darjeeling Limited, Anderson's films feature a diverse range of music, but all of his soundtracks fall easily into the category of whimsical. The majority of Anderson's works have featured music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, a founding member of the band Devo, but many also include hand-selected pop, rock, jazz, and indie tracks.

The Life Aquatic, for example, featured a number of unusual covers of David Bowie songs. The Royal Tenenbaums used raw tracks by timeless artists like Elliot Smith and Nico to convey emotion without relying on recorded audio.

Though Anderson's films never reached the ubiquity of larger productions, he has had a disproportionate influence on the movie industry. Following his lead, Hollywood and foreign directors alike have opted to score their pictures with popular tracks instead of classical arrangements.

No other 2000s movie soundtracks fully capture the tone of a Wes Anderson film, but many have tried, and some have been worthwhile in their own rights. Today, his signature pan shots featuring quirky backtracks are more popular than ever.

'Once'

If you weren't paying attention or weren't around, you might have missed the movie Once. It wasn't an action-packed blockbuster, nor was it an epic drama. It was simply a film about two musicians and their struggle to make it in the modern world. But the most notable thing about it was that its soundtrack was also the plot of the film.

Once was perhaps the most intimate glimpse at the songwriting process ever conveyed in a movie. Audiences of the time got to watch the main characters develop, alter, and finally produce their track "Falling Slowly," which would earn them a real-life Grammy nomination.

After Once, an entire generation of songwriting movies, such as A Star Is Born, would similarly explore the process of creating music. Despite being logistically simpler than rival productions, many would receive critical acclaim of their own.

'American Psycho'

American Psycho confused as many viewers as it entertained. Its references were obscure, and its lessons were divisive. But one thing that audiences could easily agree on was its immortal place as one of the best 2000s movie soundtracks.

Whenever the film's lead, the fictional Patrick Bateman, prepared to perform a grisly murder, he would perform an odd, fourth-wall music review of various 80s albums as he blasted them at deafening volumes. This served both to illustrate the character's consumerist separation from traditional moral values and to juxtapose upbeat tunes with disturbing violence.

The soundtrack includes songs from bands like New Order, Huey Lewis & The News, Simply Red, Phil Collins, and more!

American Psycho certainly wasn't the first time a director used a soundtrack as part of the action on screen, but it was among the most memorable and influential. Several later films would include similarly dissonant killing montages, and more still would use upbeat, 80s music in grim or dismal scenes.

How to Learn 2000s Movie Soundtracks For Any Instrument

The 2000s wasn't just a great time for film. It was also a great time for music. It was the first time artists from all over the globe could find audiences through widespread internet access. This availability inspired a new generation of musicians, who would go on to make their own marks in history.If you're a musician looking to make your mark, you need to learn how the pros do it. And the best way to emulate your favorite artist is by finding quality sheet music for the instrument you play. At Musicnotes, we carry the best, most accurate tabs and sheet music to help you learn some of history's greatest tunes.