Soundtracks vs scores: What’s the difference? While it's easy to use these terms interchangeably at first, the truth is there are critical differences between them. The good news? This article is here to help you understand exactly what those are.
What is the difference between scores and soundtracks?
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If you’re looking for the difference between scores and soundtracks, there are a few defining factors. Number one: Scores refer to the original music that was made specifically for that film, whereas soundtracks refer to an existing collection of recorded songs curated for a movie or film that were not specifically made for that purpose.
Let’s break this down with a couple of well-known examples.
Movie score: “Star Wars”
Legendary composer, John Williams, wrote all of the scores for “Star Wars.” Since the music was created specifically for this series, you wouldn’t find the “Main Title” piece shown in any other film (without the appropriate license). However, you will find it played by orchestras everywhere due to its iconic, crowd-pleasing nature.
Though many refer to the music in “Star Wars” as the “Star Wars” soundtrack, the more accurate definition is the score. However, there's a reason for this common slip of the tongue.
John Williams did eventually release his scores as soundtracks. Essentially, this means the music that was originally created for the film can be streamed anywhere, anytime. No more waiting for the film to play for you to hear your favorite tracks!
So, when addressing “Star Wars” music, specifically, it all comes down to context. When referring to the original music of the 1977 film, that’s the score. If you’re listening to the soundtrack album from the 1977 film, well, that’s the soundtrack! Nuanced indeed.
For more notable movie score moments, be sure to check out “How Movie Scores Make the Greatest Films Better” next!
Movie soundtracks: “Time After Time”
Now for a common soundtrack example. In movie soundtracks, you can put any song into a movie (also with the appropriate licenses) for it to become part of that movie’s soundtrack. For example, the infamous 1983 Cyndi Lauper song, “Time After Time,” appears in countless movies and TV shows and spans across various titles and genres. Some of these include:
- Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009), Romantic Comedy
- Stranger Things (2016), Dark Fantasy
- This Is Where I Leave You (2014), Dark Comedy
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019), Comedy
- Tully (2018), Coming-of-Age
- Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Comedy
- The Kissing Booth 3 (2021), Comedy
Though "Time After Time" is another instantly recognizable tune, it doesn’t have one designated home like the “Star Wars” example because it wasn’t written for a particular film or to live solely within the film industry.
Originally written as a love song, this number takes on various meanings depending on the genre and the specific scene. For example, as the “Stranger Things” theme song, the song evokes a more eerie and disturbing feel. In the romantic comedy, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” this scene hosts elements of tenderness, self-reflection, and nostalgia. In “Napoleon Dynamite,” the song adds comedic satire and wit.
While viewers may know the song right away, they may not associate it with any particular source right away — and this is why! However, if you searched for any of these movie soundtracks, you’d see “Time After Time” on every one of them.
More ways to distinguish soundtracks vs. scores
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Naturally, the music and film industry have held hands since the early days (namely, the 1920s and 1930s). Before films had sound, they were accompanied with live music to amplify the story and provide greater emotional context.
Music innately evokes feeling and supports aspects of visual storytelling and narrative in film. It guides the viewer's experience and indicates what should be felt in a particular moment. Similar to the Kuleshov Effect, a filmmaking technique that guides viewer’s emotions based on the surrounding cuts, music enhances the plot, context, and emotional landscape, leading viewers to interpret a complete story.
Music has been used as a foundational tool in film, as notable as some of the most recognized filmmaking techniques, like black and white filmmaking, video transitions, and overlays. As technology has advanced and streaming has become more widely available, the intersection between music and film has only grown as part of the broader entertainment industry.
For this reason, the distinctions between soundtracks vs scores may also seem more blended than they’ve ever been. However, there are three main nuances that continue to distinguish them.
1. Purpose
Though soundtracks and scores share the fact that they prompt emotion, their intention varies slightly.
Soundtrack: Highlights any genre of singer or musician to complement the narrative and evoke feelings
Score: Highlights the vision between the director and composer and aim to enhance on-screen content, a sense of time, place, and environment
While these purposes are somewhat connected, it’s important to remember that soundtracks are the byproduct of a more modernized entertainment industry. Scores hold a more historical role, originally filling in the gaps that dialogue would’ve otherwise provided.
2. Accessibility
Soundtracks are generally accessible to the general public, whereas film scores are more exclusive. Finding excerpts and sheet music is easier than accessing entire film scores. Music students and professional musicians are a likely demographic for film scores, specifically.
Soundtrack: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube or other streaming platforms
Score: Universities, private collections, specialized publishers, and online libraries
3. Genre
Generally, you can decipher soundtracks vs scores based on their genre of music.
Soundtrack: Recorded music from any genre and includes vocals
Score: Commonly instrumental, classical, jazz, and orchestral without vocals
While soundtracks and scores used to be more clearly defined, today, it wouldn’t be unusual to hear soundtracks with some instrumental songs, or scores that include soloists or vocalists. Again, the role they’ve played historically remains the distinguishing factor between the two.
What awards are given for movie scoring?
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There are several awards and award shows that have put movie scores on the map for households everywhere. Not only do film scores showcase optimal talent, but they serve as the backbone for a film’s vision. Essentially, they bring it to life!
So, next time you find yourself gearing up for the next Golden Globes, Oscars, or Grammys, here are the top movie scoring awards to look for:
- Academy Award for Best Original Score (Oscar Award)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (Golden Globe Award)
- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Grammy Award)
- Hollywood Music in Media for Best Original Score in a Feature Film (Hollywood Music in Media Award)
- AMA (American Music Award)
Curious about some of the most popular movie scores and soundtracks that have received awards (or remain award-worthy in our eyes)? Coming right up!
Top 3 examples of famous movie soundtracks
Intuitively, music, film, and theater intersect. So while these epic soundtracks may spark memories of the original film, some may also trigger memories of their Broadway affiliation.
1. “Grease“
Originally a Broadway musical (1972), the film for “Grease” came out just years later in 1978. Check out the full-length audio recording of the original Broadway musical below, showcasing some of the most notorious songs that have rippled through time.
Though some songs were added for the 1978 film, the original Broadway music was composed by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The “Grease” soundtrack was nominated for the Grammy Award: Album of the Year and it received the AMA for Favorite Rock/Pop Album in 1979.
2. “Dirty Dancing”
Composer John Morris is the visionary behind the 1987 masterpiece, “Dirty Dancing.”
Though “Dirty Dancing” hasn’t hit the Broadway stage yet, there are musings about a new production set for 2025. The famous song, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” (which also makes several appearances in other movies), won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
3. “Forrest Gump”
Composer Alan Silvestri wrote the music for the 1994 movie, “Forrest Gump.” Though only having a short stint on Broadway, this work did find its way to the stage from 2017-2018.
As it happens more commonly these days, the music from “Forrest Gump” is technically both a soundtrack and score. Again, this speaks to the way the music has been adapted and made more accessible to the public from the original motion picture.
The soundtrack was nominated for two awards: an Academy Award for Best Original Score and a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition.
Top 3 examples of popular movie scores
We’ve already named “Star Wars,” so consider that one a given. Here are a few more popular movie scores to throw into the mix.
1. “Gone with the Wind”
Max Steiner, the composer behind the 1939 film, “Gone with the Wind,” is known for its emotionality, perfectly complementing its grand romantic plotline.
Doesn’t this “Main Title” bring you right back into your viewing experience? That’s by design.
2. “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”
Believe it or not, the aforementioned John Williams, composer of “Star Wars,” is also responsible for the music in the 1982 film, “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial.” Of course, these two soundtracks are vastly different, as you’d expect with two vastly different plotlines.
As you can hear from the video below, “E.T.” is far lighter and more delicate. “Star Wars” is expectedly more bold, grand, and heroic.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, John Williams won an Academy Award for Best Original Score, a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. There was also a brief showing of “E.T.” on Broadway between 2019-2020.
3. “To Kill a Mockingbird”
The 1962 film, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” has a brilliant film score thanks to Elmer Bernstein. The original music has been recorded three different times: The first for the film, the second for Bernstein’s 1970s Film Collection album series, and the third in 1996 for the Varese Sarabande Film Classics series.
As you can see, there are countless ways to keep an original and historical moment alive.
This work did find its way to Broadway as well from 2018 to 2022. Bernstein was recognized with a Golden Globe for his “To Kill a Mockingbird” score.
Soundtracks vs scores: The evolution of music and film
When you think about it, what would these works of art be without their accompanying scores and soundtracks? Simply, they’d be incomplete.
To truly appreciate the difference between soundtracks and scores, one must venture into history as we’ve done here. At the end of the day, the ultimate “soundtracks vs scores” conclusion is that these two terms, though different in how they originated, have become more similar over time.
Lastly, if you haven’t seen the aforementioned films, run, don’t walk to do so! When you do, keep your ears open for the music, specifically. Soundtracks and scores are emotive and illustrative at once even without the screen or picture. If you listen to them as complete albums or works, you’ll experience a similar immersion — as if you were in the theater right then.
From the original depictions to today’s iterations, it’s incredible to witness how these mediums and their legacies live on.