Top 10 Horror Movie + TV Instrumental Songs

This is some of Elfman's earliest work; somewhat jumpy and overly dynamic, it still remains a classic 20 years later. The version of the theme song titled 'Main Titles' on the soundtrack is different from what is heard on the film.

The 'Twilight Zone''s music in the main and end titles for the fall 1960 season was composed by Constant; previously recorded in the late '50s the music didn't consist of fragments longer than five seconds. But the two compositions, 'Etrange No. 3' (repeated four-note phrases on electric guitar) and 'Milieu No. 2,' (compilation of disturbing brass, flutes, guitar, and bongo drums) together are the Halloween-themed favorite we hear today. Constant sold all music rights to CBS, not realizing at the time that his compositions were the theme of a well-known U.S. T.V. show.

The soundtrack for the Italian film 'Profondo Rosso' ('Deep Red') was arranged by Giorgio Gaslini and was Goblin's musical debut. The musical scores proved to be extremely successful combining Goblin's '70s rock style with the plot about witness trying to crack a murder case while escaping numerous killer attempts.

The original score first appears at the end of the film 'Saw' in a climatic plot twist (warning: spoiler alert!) revealing that the character Zep is a victim to the antagonist Jigsaw Killer. The sequels include variations of this score.

Starting out with drawn-out solo notes on a piano, the theme song was featured in both 'Scream' and 'Scream 2.' The 'Scream' series revitalized the horror film trend, incorporating slasher film cliches in this innovative satirical saga. Listen to the below cover by The Hit Crew.

Elfman's composition work not only includes all the prestigious Tim Burton films but also theme music for T.V. series such as HBO's 'Tales from the Crypt.' Bigscreen Records released the soundtrack in 1991, which also includes composers Jimmy Webb and James Horner.

The initial music in the trailer for 'The Exorcist' film was a score by Lalo Schifrin, later rejected by director William Friedkin because it was too scary combined with the film's plot. They ended up going with a tuned-down score -- the opening theme of Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield.

The score for the film, 'Psycho' only uses the string section and is divided into three main movements: 1)The first has no melody, but is comprised of numerous runs and staccato notes alternating eighth-note semitones to create suspense and approaching danger. 2) A single violin plays diminished chords before the rest of the string section comes in. 3) Drawn out notes from the Cello and double bass dominate this section.

John Carpenter composed and produced the music as well as directed the film, all on a budget of only $300k. The 5/4 rhythmic count was inspired from a bongo exercise Carpenter learned from his father as a child and the synthesizer programming was done by composer Dan Wyman, who also oversaw the recording process (overdubbing one instrument at a time).