(Super)Heroic Music Needed

I'm looking for soundtracks that feature sort of the same music as Superman.

I know I've asked this somewhere before (Dwight Fry will remember) and I was mainly looking for alternate John Williams soundtracks that could fit well with Superman, but it's probably better I left it wide open. Alan Silvestri did a great job on The First Avenger, for example. Trevor Jones his Cliffhanger theme is very good as well. So which composer doesn't really matter, as long as it's good Audiomachine make great stuff as well, but I know they're geared more towards trailer work rather than actual in-movie companion scores.

I'm looking for a wide range of music that could believably all be part of one film. Heroic music, dramatic or emotional music, gleeful music, ... Does any one have any suggestions?

I know that Sky Captain's main theme is very similar to Superman, but I'm not particularly looking for music that sounds a lot like Superman, simply a/several soundtrack(s) that display a wide range of heroic, emotional, dramatic, etc music cues that can be used to replace the score by John Williams.

I know I'm asking a lot, but I hope this community has some fantastic ideas
I haven't started (another) Superman project yet, but I'd rather get this sorted out before I start and still have to start looking for/buying scraps here and there

Thor has some good music from Patrick Doyle. Night at the Museum had some good stuff as well as Van Helsing, both by Alan Silvestri. You might be able to pull some stuff from Michael Giaccino's Star Trek music. I remember really rooting for Giaccino to nab composing the music for Man of Steel (before I realized what a dark tone it was going to have). I'm not sure if you'll find anything from the Incredibles score, but give that a listen too. While you're at it, also try John Carter by Giaccino.

That's all I could think of off the top of my head. I'll come back later and see if I can suggest some more.

Maybe too much?

Henry V by Patrick Doyle has many epic themes and dark undercurrents.
It is also older, so will be less familiar.

Thanks [MENTION=5719]musiced921[/MENTION] I'll check out Michael Giaccino's Star Trek and John Carter work especially. [MENTION=10544]ranger613[/MENTION] I've heard that song before, but didn't know it was from Two Steps from Hell.
I've got one or two of their albums but I never remember titles for songs like that. Could be I already have it :-D
Thanks [MENTION=17386]Vultural[/MENTION]. Given that album's a little closer to Superman The Movie's release date, I might be able to work with that.
I'll give it a listen. Thanks guys

Any more suggestions are more than welcome!

My go-to guy for similar-to-but-not-quite-the-same-as-heroic-John-Williams is Bruce Broughton (and I'll always maintain that Young Sherlock Holmes is the best John Williams soundtrack that John Williams didn't write). He has many, many credits, a similar range, and similar influences. Here is a very small but wide-ranging sampler of some of his stuff (not sure I'd agree it's his greatest hits, but it's fairly representative):

The Henry V score by Patrick Doyle was his first, and was performed by the Birmingham Symphony conducted by Simon Rattle.
Soundtrack issued by Angel was very dynamic.
Cues are available on YouTube, though the St Crispin's eve speech a highlight.
Young Christian Bale @ 2.25 point

That domine chant after Agincourt is stuck in my head to this day whenever I think of that movie, was a great theme.

"Secret Weapons Over Normandy" by Michael Giacchino (probably the most John Williams-like score not composed by Williams himself that I've ever heard).




"Medal of Honor" by Michael Giacchino.


There are several other Medal of Honor scores by Giacchino out there as well, all of which have a fairly similar sound.


"Wing Commander" by David Arnold.


"Independence Day" by David Arnold.


"The Mummy Returns" by Alan Silvestri.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S16QUxocOec[/video]

"Lionheart" by Jerry Goldsmith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR-_yVLlsAM[/video]

"Supergirl" by Jerry Goldsmith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdD2ItOjFk[/video]

"The Beastmaster" by Lee Holdridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWc_yKpR3ng[/video]

wow hbenthow great post! Maybe I kind of contradicted myself along the way, but I'm not specifically looking for a John Williams sound, although I know he makes great music and he's the original composer. I'm basically looking for any soundtrack that encompasses a range of heroic, dramatic, emotional and sombre music to replace the Superman score. The easiest way would probably be to have a single movie soundtrack that has everything I need, or two very similar soundtrack albums by the same composer, but if I have to pick songs here and there, so be it
matrixgrindhouse thanks! The Last Starfighter theme was a great one as well, I still have to listen to the rest of the soundtrack. The Main Theme is a great fit, if the rest can be used as well that would make for a great start It has a very similar feel to it

UPDATE:
Some great stuff from first time listening so far!
Wing Commander intro - could serve as an intro.
Independence Day - the day we fight back - could go well with a fight sequence.
Lionheart main theme by Goldsmith - could serve as an end credits music cue.
Some cues on Medal of Honor could be used well, depends on the music. I'll have to listen to that first.

Another suggestion: "Zathura" by John Debney.

I can't believe no one has recommended Hercules.


Listen for the heroic line, "Softness in his eyes, iron in his thighs," at the 28" part.

Vultural said:

I can't believe no one has recommended Hercules.

Listen for the heroic line, "Softness in his eyes, iron in his thighs," at the 28" part.

Click to expand...

His offspring's thighs reacted with carbon to become men of steel (hey, how about that!)