Movies to Listen To

An expansive look into the first 100 years of film music, this book delves into music in the movies composer by composer, film by film. The book traces scoring trends, innovation, and technological developments that have helped to shape film music over the decades. Focusing predominantly on English language, live-action films released in the United States, this book celebrates the contributions of film composers from the silent era through to the 21st century. With an intentional focus on as diverse a group of composers as possible, this work includes sections featuring some famous films and composers, as well as sections which introduce brand new sounds and stories. Entries include countless additional facts, stories, and trivia that further contextualize when and how that music was written. From the brilliant composers of the Golden Age, to ingenious songwriters, to jazz masters, to electronic music pioneers, the book guides you through the development of the music that brings the movies we watch to life.

Megan E. Goldstein is a music industry executive working at the intersection of music and media. She is also a musician living in northeast Los Angeles.
Based in Los Angeles, Pamela A. Marx is a writer of teaching resources and children’s books and a retired attorney.

Megan E. Goldstein and Pamela A. Marx
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages:
Bibliographic Info: glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9751-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5602-1
Imprint: McFarland