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Just browsing through my soundtrack collection and it struck me how so many of them are from horror films. I'm sure a lot of us first got into film music through the works of Carpenter, Goblin, Morricone, etc. Looking at the Death Waltz back catalogue a good two thirds of it is scores from horror films and most of the soundtrack labels springing up seem to specialise in horror scores.

Obviously I'm not saying all great scores are horror ones but it does seem there are a disproportionate amount in "all time best" lists compared to most other genres.

I wonder if this is because a lot of horror films tend to rely less on narrative and more on tone and atmosphere? A lot of horror films have soundtracks that do as much work as the visuals in creating an impact and this is why they become so memorable. You can't really imagine Suspiria, Psycho or Halloween without those soundtracks. They embed themselves in the foreground of the film and drive it forwards.

Curious to know what everybody else thinks.

I'd say well over half of my soundtracks are horror. It makes sense to me though as I'm a lifelong horror/exploitation film fan and I've always had a fondness for these late 70's and 80's scores anyway. The soundtracks were always an important part of the experience for me, even on crappy 5th generation VHS dubs (which was the only way I could see the banned films in the early 90's).

As well as horror, I have a huge collection of 70's and 80's Action, Exploitation, Sci-Fi and Martial Arts films and if more of those scores were being released, I would certainly be buying them. Off the top of my head...Bloodsport, Endgame, Commando, Armour of God, No Retreat, No Surrender....

Also as a synth enthusiast, I'm a sucker for any music that is synth heavy and tend to find with soundtracks.... synths = horror and sci-fi. Not really a huge fan of orchestral horror scores which is good for my wallet. I mean I love the Re-Animator, Nightbreed and Twins of Evil as films but didn't bother buying the soundtracks.

I can't say they are generally "better" than other genres, it depends on the individual. For me they are my favourite genre of soundtrack because it's my favourite genre of film.

It is hard to say "better", but def the more important for a movie.
In an Non-Horror Film the music is more for the background or in a drama to accelerate the emotions. In Horror Movies the music could be like an individual character. For example: Music imagines you to safety, where there is none (toy piano, musicbox)... and than: Boom!.

Or imagine the shower scene in "Psycho" without the music. The strings imitate the sound of the knife....

Thats why I love the music from Horror Films. Maybe thats why it is better...?!