Classic FM ‘The Lord of the Rings’ voted UK’s favourite film score in 25th anniversary year
https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/shore-lord-rings-voted-best-film-score
Howard Shore’s epic Middle-earth music is voted No.1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2026.
Canadian composer Howard Shore’s score to The Lord of the Rings has been voted the nation’s favourite film score for the fourth year running!
On Monday 31 August, we revealed the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2026 in partnership with Metro, a countdown of the nation’s 100 favourite film scores. Broadcast on Classic FM and Classic FM Movies, the countdown featured nine hours of epic music which captured the memories and emotions of cinema’s best loved movies, from silver screen nostalgia to this year’s box office hits.
Thousands of votes were cast in this year’s chart, and the No.1 spot was revealed by Classic FM at the Movies presenter Jonathan Ross just before 7pm. The countdown will be available via catch up on Global Player for seven days.
25 years since the first film in the trilogy was released, The Lord of the Rings continues to capture the minds, hearts, and imaginations of audiences around the world. Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth adventure has become one of the highest-grossing film series ever made, with Howard Shore’s epic score helping to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s intricate high fantasy literary world to life.
2026 also marks Shore’s 80th birthday year, and is the fourth consecutive year his music for the trilogy has been voted No.1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame, and the fifth time in chart history.
Howard Shore told Classic FM: “I’m very honored to learn that The Lord of the Rings score has been voted favorite by the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame audience for a fourth year. I’m grateful to the many musicians, soloists, and singers who performed this music, which has continued to resonate with listeners for all of this time. I remain very proud of the work and its success, and I’m so happy I was given the opportunity to express J.R.R. Tolkien’s world through music.“
- Read the full article here: https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/shore-lord-rings-voted-best-film-score
Jonathan Ross, who revealed the final segment of the chart, said: “Howard Shore’s music for The Lord of the Rings has become the gold standard for film scores – it’s epic, emotional, and instantly transporting, placing you right inside the story of Middle-earth. It captures the scale, drama and heart of Tolkien’s world so completely that it’s no wonder Classic FM listeners have once again voted it their Number One movie score of all time. Fittingly, 25 years after the first film’s release, Howard Shore’s work still sounds as fresh and as captivating as ever as he approaches his 80th birthday!”
The Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2025 – Top 20:
- The Lord of the Rings – Howard Shore
- Schindler’s List – John Williams
- Out of Africa – John Barry
- Gladiator – Hans Zimmer
- Jurassic Park – John Williams
- Star Wars – John Williams
- Wilde – Debbie Wiseman
- Dances with Wolves – John Barry
- The Mission – Ennio Morricone
- How To Train Your Dragon – John Powell
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – Klaus Badelt
- Apollo 13 – James Horner
- Ladies in Lavender – Nigel Hess
- Interstellar – Hans Zimmer
- Harry Potter – John Williams
- The Magnificent Seven – Elmer Bernstein
- Doctor Zhivago – Maurice Jarre
- Saving Private Ryan – John Williams
- Dangerous Moonlight – Richard Addinsell
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – Ennio Morricone
Explore the full Top 100 here, and catch up with the countdown on Global Player.
