Top 200 Frequently Used Trailer Music

[Art Munson]

Don’t know how up to date this site is but interesting. http://www.soundtrack.net/trailers/frequent/

[Mark_Petrie]

I would think it’s a little out of date – no mention of Two Steps From Hell, who have tons of tracks in trailers these days.

[Art Munson]

This topic could be a good spot to add to and keep up to date. Thanks Mark.

[brianmcbrearty]

I had the same thought as Mark immediately.

[Redster]

Awhile ago, I distilled the info I found at the site and discovered:

Of the “Top 100” songs noted on this list and used in film trailers, 51 of them were for 380 placements in film trailers — from library sources whose catalogues consist of primarily high-end, trailer style music (for film & video game trailers, and other ads).

Immediate Music (http://immediatemusic.com):
14 tracks for 173 placements; high-end trailer music; 1200 tracks

RipTide Music (http://www.riptidemusic.com):
11 tracks for 59 placements; 200 composers & artists (incl. old & gold); 15K+?

Cinetrax (http://www.cinetrax.com):
10 tracks for 51 placements; small boutique library geared toward trailers/ads

Pfeifer Broz. Music (no website):
6 tracks for 26 placements; direct, high-end trailer music

Brand X (http://www.brandxmusic.net):
4 tracks for 19 placements; small boutique library geared toward trailers/ads

Undetermined Sources:
6 classical pieces for 52 placements

Of the “Top 10” most used pieces of music (for 222 placements), Immediate Music had four pieces with a total of 98 placements — including spot #s 1, 3, 4 & 7 — almost 45% of the market!

Of the “classical” pieces used (not all PD, by the way), the following were used the most:

Carmina Burana: “O Fortuna” – Carl Orff (used 17 times, and in the “Top 10”)

“9th Symphony” (Ode to Joy) – Ludwig van Beethoven (used 13 times)

“Hall of the Mountain King” – Edvard Grieg (used 7 times)

“Carmen” – Georges Bizet (used 5 times)

The Planets: “Mars” – Gustav Holst (used 5 times)

“Requiem” – W.A. Mozart (used 5 times)

45 placements on the “Top 10” list were for two pieces — one by David Arnold, the other by James Horner.

So it might be to your advantage (assuming you write the sort of music these folks are providing to the film, TV, video game & advertising worlds) to approach one of these libraries to see if you can get your foot in the door.

Cheers!

Gael MacGregor

[Author]

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