Danny Elfman discography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Select commercially released recordings of Danny Elfman's music for film, television, stage and the concert hall. For a full list of Elfman's compositions, see List of compositions by Danny Elfman. For Elfman's recordings as lead singer/songwriter for Oingo Boingo, see the Oingo Boingo discography page.
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Gratitude[1] | Single | MCA Records | |
| 1984 | So-Lo | Album | MCA Records | Often retrospectively attributed to Oingo Boingo. |
| 2006 | Serenada Schizophrana | Album | Sony Classical | First classical work. Commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra, which premiered the piece in 2005. Album features John Mauceri conducting the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra. |
| 2019 | Eleven Eleven | Album | Sony Classical | Featuring violinist Sandy Cameron with John Mauceri conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet |
| 2020 | Happy | Single | Anti-Records & Epitaph Records | |
| 2021 | Sorry[2] | Single | ||
| 2021 | Love in the Time of COVID[3] | Single | ||
| 2021 | Kick Me[4] | Single | ||
| 2021 | True | Single | ||
| 2021 | Insects[5] | Single | ||
| 2021 | Big Mess[6] | Album | Anti-Records & Epitaph Records | |
| 2022 | Bigger. Messier. | Remixes | ||
| 2026[7] | TBA | Album | TBA | |
Original scores
1980s and 1990s
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Forbidden Zone | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| 1986 | Pee-wee's Big Adventure/Back to School | Re-recording | Varèse Sarabande | Album features re-recordings of Elfman's scores for 1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure and 1986's Back to School The original recording of Pee-wee's Big Adventure was unavailable until the 2011 release of the Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box Elfman appears in Back to School as lead singer of Oingo Boingo performing the song "Dead Man's Party", which appears on the MCA song soundtrack[8] |
| Wisdom | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | ||
| 1987 | Summer School | Soundtrack | Chrysalis Records | Though this remains Elfman's only completely unreleased film score to date, he wrote and performed the pop tune "Happy", which appears on film's song soundtrack[8] |
| 1988 | Beetlejuice | Soundtrack | Geffen Records | |
| Midnight Run | Soundtrack | MCA | ||
| Big Top Pee-wee | Soundtrack | Arista | The original soundtrack release including dialogue was reissued by PEG An expanded album without dialogue was released by La-La Land Records in 2014 | |
| Scrooged | Score | |||
| 1989 | Batman | Score | Warner Bros. Records | Won Elfman's only Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Re-released with complete remastered score by La-La Land Records in 2010 |
| 1990 | Nightbreed | Soundtrack | MCA | |
| Dick Tracy | Score | Sire Records | Nominated for 33rd Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Complete score was remastered and released by Intrada Records in 2016 | |
| Darkman | Soundtrack | MCA | In 2020, La-La Land Records issued a 2-CD album with the 1990 soundtrack album on CD 1, and an expanded score presentation on CD 2. | |
| Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1 | Compilation | MCA | ||
| Edward Scissorhands | Soundtrack | MCA | Nominated for 34th Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television Complete expanded and remastered score released by Intrada Records in 2015 | |
| 1992 | Article 99 | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| Batman Returns | Soundtrack | Warner Bros. Records | Expanded, remastered score released from La-La Land Records in 2010 | |
| 1993 | Sommersby | Soundtrack | Elektra | |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | Re-released in 2006 with an additional disc featuring covers by Marilyn Manson, Fiona Apple, Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco, as well as several of Elfman's original song demos Elfman's first score for an animated film. | |
| 1994 | Black Beauty | Soundtrack | Giant | Expanded edition released by La-La Land Records in 2013 |
| 1995 | Dolores Claiborne | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | Expanded edition from the label in 2020. |
| Dead Presidents | Soundtrack | Capitol Records | With one Elfman track: "Dead President's Theme" Score remains unreleased except for a suite included on Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2 | |
| To Die For | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | ||
| 1996 | Mission: Impossible | Soundtrack | Phillips | With three Elfman tracks: "Impossible Mission", "Claire" and "Trouble" |
| Score | Point Music | Expanded and remastered score released by La-La Land Records in 2019 | ||
| Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2 | Compilation | MCA | ||
| The Frighteners | Soundtrack | MCA | ||
| Extreme Measures | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | ||
| Mars Attacks! | Soundtrack | Atlantic | First Elfman score to receive an expanded edition, released in 2009 by La-La Land Records | |
| 1997 | Men in Black | Soundtrack | Sony Music | With two Elfman tracks: "M.I.B. Main Theme" and "M.I.B. Closing Theme" |
| Score | Columbia Records | Nominated for 70th Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score, and for 40th Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television | ||
| Flubber | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | ||
| Good Will Hunting | Soundtrack with two Elfman tracks | Capitol Records | ||
| Score | Music Box Records | Nominated for 70th Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score | ||
| 1998 | A Simple Plan | Soundtrack | Compass III | |
| A Civil Action | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records | ||
| 1999 | Instinct | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| Anywhere but Here | Soundtrack | Atlantic | With one Elfman track: "Anywhere But Here Score Suite" | |
| Sleepy Hollow | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records | In 2021 Intrada Records issued a 3-CD set featuring the full score and the soundtrack album remastered. | |
2000s
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Family Man | Soundtrack | ||
| 2000 | Proof of Life | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| 2001 | Planet of the Apes | Soundtrack | Sony Music | Complete score released by La-La Land Records in 2012 |
| 2002 | Spider-Man | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | With two Elfman tracks: "Main Titles" and "Farewell" |
| Score | Sony Music Soundtrax | Nominated for 45th Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | ||
| Men in Black II | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | ||
| Red Dragon | Soundtrack | Decca Records | ||
| Chicago | Soundtrack | Sony Legacy | With two Elfman tracks: "After Midnight" and "Roxie’s Suite" | |
| 2003 | Hulk | Soundtrack | Decca Records | |
| Big Fish | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | Nominated for 76th Academy Award for Best Original Score; for 61st Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, and for 47th Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | With two Elfman tracks: "Spidey Suite" and "Doc Ock Suite" |
| Score | Sony Masterworks | |||
| 2005 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Soundtrack | Abbey Road Studios | Nominated for 48th Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Wonka's Welcome Song) |
| Corpse Bride | Soundtrack | Warner Bros. Records | ||
| 2006 | Nacho Libre | Soundtrack | Lakeshore Records | With one Elfman track: "Ramses Suite" |
| Charlotte's Web | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| 2007 | Meet the Robinsons | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | |
| The Kingdom | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | ||
| 2008 | Standard Operating Procedure | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| Wanted | Soundtrack | Lakeshore Records | ||
| Hellboy II: The Golden Army | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | ||
| Milk | Soundtrack | Decca Records | Nominated for 81st Academy Award for Best Original Score, and for 52nd Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | |
| 2009 | Notorious | Soundtrack | Universal Music Group | With one Elfman track: "The Notorious Theme" |
| Terminator Salvation | Soundtrack | Warner Bros. Records | ||
| Taking Woodstock | Soundtrack | Rhino Records | With four Elfman tracks: "Taking Woodstock Titles", Elliot's Place, "Happening (Office #2)" and "Perspective Extended" | |
| Score | La-La Land Records |
2010s
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Wolfman | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | Nominated for 68th Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, and for 53rd Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media | |
| The Next Three Days | Soundtrack | Lionsgate | ||
| 2011 | Restless | Soundtrack | La-La Land Records | |
| Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box | Compilation | Warner Records | 17-disc box set of expanded and remastered presentations of the scores Elfman wrote for 13 of Tim Burton's films from 1985 to 2010, as well as music from television and special projects.[9] Accompanied by a 263-page illustrated book chronicling the creative partnership between Elfman and Burton, the set included much previously unreleased music, and marked the first time the score to Elfman's first film Pee-wee's Big Adventure was made available. | |
| Real Steel | Soundtrack | Interscope | With one Elfman track: "Kenton" | |
| Score | Varèse Sarabande | |||
| Iris | Soundtrack | Cirque Du Soleil Musique | ||
| Scrooged | Score | La-La-Land Records | The full score for this 1988 film remained unavailable until this La-La Land's 2011 release,[10] though a short suite of music was included on the 1990 compilation Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol 1 | |
| 2012 | Dark Shadows | Soundtrack | Sony Music | With two Elfman tracks: "Dark Shadows – Prologue" and "The End?" |
| Score | WaterTower Music | |||
| Men in Black 3 | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| Frankenweenie | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | ||
| Silver Linings Playbook | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | With two Elfman tracks: "Silver Lining Titles" and "Walking Home" | |
| Score | Sony Music | |||
| Hitchcock | Soundtrack | Sony Masterworks | ||
| Promised Land | Soundtrack | Relativity Music Group | ||
| 2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | |
| Epic | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | ||
| American Hustle | Soundtrack | Madison Gate Records | With one Elfman track: "Irving Montage" | |
| 2014 | Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Soundtrack | Relativity Music Group | Replaced Alan Silvestri |
| The Unknown Known | Soundtrack | La La Land Records | ||
| Big Eyes | Soundtrack | Interscope | With six Elfman tracks: "Opening", "Who's the Artist?", "Margaret", "Walter", "Victory" and "End Credits" | |
| 2015 | The End of the Tour | Soundtrack | Lakeshore Records | |
| Fifty Shades of Grey | Soundtrack | Republic Records | With two Elfman tracks: "Ana and Christian" and "Did That Hurt?" | |
| Score | Republic Records | Additional music by David Buckley[11] | ||
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records | With music of co-composer Brian Tyler Themes by Alan Silvestri | |
| Goosebumps | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| 2016 | Alice Through the Looking Glass | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | |
| Rabbit & Rogue | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | Composed for the ballet Rabbit and Rogue choreographed by Twyla Tharp in 2008 for the American Ballet Theatre | |
| The Girl on the Train | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| 2017 | Tulip Fever | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | |
| Fifty Shades Darker | Soundtrack | Republic Records | With two Elfman tracks: "On His Knees" and "Making It Real" | |
| Score | Back Lot Music | Additional music by David Buckley[11] | ||
| The Circle | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| Justice League | Soundtrack | WaterTower Music |
Replaced Tom Holkenborg | |
| 2018 | Fifty Shades Freed | Soundtrack | Republic Records | With two tracks by Elfman: "Freed" and "Seeing Red" |
| Score | Back Lot Music | Additional music by David Buckley[11] | ||
| Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot | Soundtrack | Sony Classical | ||
| The Grinch | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | With two Elfman tracks: "A Wonderful Awful Idea" and "Stealing Christmas" | |
| Score | Columbia Records | |||
| 2019 | Dumbo | Soundtrack | Walt Disney Records | |
| Men in Black: International | Soundtrack | Columbia Records | Co-composed with Chris Bacon[12] | |
2020s
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dolittle | Soundtrack | Back Lot Music | |
| 2021 | The Woman in the Window | Soundtrack | Replaced Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross | |
| 2022 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records Marvel Music | Themes by Michael Giacchino |
| 2024 | Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | Soundtrack | WaterTower Music | [13] |
| 2025 | Dark Universe | Soundtrack | Universal Destinations & Experiences | Used for the Dark Universe land at Universal Epic Universe |
| Dracula | Soundtrack | TBA | ||
| 2026 | Send Help | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records |
Other
Albums that include themes or music written by Elfman where he did not compose the full score:
| Release date | Album | Type | Label | Tracks composed by Elfman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Bachelor Party | Soundtrack | I.R.S. Records | "Bachelor Party" and "Something Isn't Right" with Oingo Boingo[14] |
| 1985 | Weird Science | Soundtrack | MCA Records | "Weird Science" title song with Oingo Boingo[15] |
| 1991 | Pure Luck | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | "Main Title" and "We Found Her" |
| 1992 | Tales from the Crypt | Soundtrack | Big Screen Records | "Tales from the Crypt (Main Title)" |
| Army of Darkness | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | "March of the Dead" | |
| 1994 | Shrunken Heads | Soundtrack | Full Moon Records | "Main Title" |
| 1997 | Songs in the Key of Springfield | Compilation | Rhino Records | "The Simpsons Theme" |
| 1998 | Psycho | Soundtrack | Geffen Records | "Intro", based on themes by Bernard Herrmann[16] |
| 2001 | Heartbreakers | Soundtrack | RCA Victor | "Heart Breakers Suite 1 & 2", with music by John Debney |
| Spy Kids | Soundtrack | Chapter III Records | "My Parents Are Spies", "Buddy Pack Escape", "Floop's Song (Cruel World)" and "Sneaking Around Machetes"[17] | |
| Novocaine | Soundtrack | TVT Soundtrax | "Main Titles" and "I Wish" | |
| 2005 | Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives | Compilation | Hollywood Records | "Desperate Housewives Theme" |
| 2008 | Batman: The Animated Series | Soundtrack | La-La Land Records | "Main Title" and "End Title" |
| 2009 | 9 | Soundtrack | E1 Music | Themes only. Score composed by Deborah Lurie. |
| 2016 | Scream 2: The Deluxe Edition | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | Expanded score album for this 1997 film contained the first commercial release of Elfman's "Cassandra Aria" and "Cassandra Reprise"[18] |
| 2017 | Before I Wake | Soundtrack | Varèse Sarabande | "Sean", "Christmas" and "Defeated" |
| When We Rise | Soundtrack | Hollywood Records | "When We Rise Suite", co-composed with Chris Bacon[19] | |
| 2026 | Don't Be Dumb | Studio album | "Stole Ya Flow"; unspecified contribution, by ASAP Rocky[20] |
References
- ↑ "Danny Elfman - Gratitude". Discogs.
- ↑ Grow, Kory (2021-01-11). "See Danny Elfman's Creepy Video for Self-Described 'Alien Orchestral Chamber Punk' Song 'Sorry'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ↑ Shaffer, Claire (2021-02-11). "Danny Elfman Releases Lockdown-Themed Video for 'Love in the Time of Covid'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ↑ Kreps, Daniel (2021-03-11). "See Danny Elfman's Frenzied 'Kick Me' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ↑ Doria, Matt (2021-05-26). "Danny Elfman drops video for new version of Oingo Boingo's 'Insects'". NME. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
- ↑ Moore, Sam (2021-04-12). "Danny Elfman announces 'Big Mess', his first new solo album in 37 years". NME. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ↑ FanX Comic Conventions (2025-10-06). The Genius Behind the Score: Danny Elfman's Wildest Stories | FanX 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-30 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 Buck, David. "Mystic Knights of the Movie Soundtrack", Tedium, March 14, 2018.
- ↑ Weintraub, Steve. "WB Announces the Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Music Box; 16 CD Limited Edition That You Must See!, Collider, October 1, 2010
- ↑ "Editorial Reviews: Scrooged". FilmTracks.com. Filmtracks Publications. n.d. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
In 2011, La-La Land Records finally released Scrooged properly, including the half hour of finished original score and nearly twenty minutes of the extensive traditional and classical material recorded (but not frequently used) for the picture.
- 1 2 3 "David Buckley: Credits". DavidBuckleyMusic.com. Firefly Music. n.d. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ↑ Kaufman, Gil (June 6, 2019). "Danny Elfman on Composing Score for 'Men in Black: International': 'I Get to Visit a World I Love'". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
Working with co-composer Chris Bacon, Elfman says he stuck to his trusty playbook when it comes to return trips to previously explored cinematic universes.
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (May 3, 2023). "Danny Elfman Talks "Very Exciting" Return For 'Beetlejuice' Sequel, Drive To Perform 'Wednesday' Music In Concert". Deadline. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
- ↑ Buck, David (March 14, 2019). "Mystic Knights of the Movie Soundtrack". Tedium. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
Bachelor Party... has not one, but two (possibly three) Boingo songs. The title track—written and performed by Oingo Boingo specifically for the film—recaps the plot in the band's inimitable style. "Something Isn't Right" is an earlier song that only saw a release with this soundtrack album.
- ↑ Sean O'Neal (October 27, 2014). "Danny Elfman on Oingo Boingo, film scores, and the Beatles almost ruining Batman". AV Music. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
- ↑ "Review: Psycho (1998) (Bernard Herrmann/Danny Elfman/Steve Bartek)". FilmTracks. November 27, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
So loyal is Elfman (and cohort Steve Bartek) to Herrmann's original intent that he succeeded better than anyone else at re-recording the work.
- ↑ "Various – Spy Kids • Music From The Dimension Motion Picture". Discogs. n.d. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ↑ "Scream 2: The Deluxe Edition". varesesarabande.com. Varèse Sarabande. n.d. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Album for ABC's 'When We Rise' Announced". Film Music Reporter. February 9, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ↑ "Don't Be Dumb, A$AP Rocky". Qobuz. Retrieved 21 January 2026. On Qobuz, select the ⓘ button by each song to access credits.
