Amazon’s upcomingLord of the Ringsseries,The Rings of Power, will at the very least have a familiar sound. Howard Shore, who composed the score for the record-breaking film series, is now confirmed to be the composer for the TV show’s main title theme.
The news broke today, during the first day ofSan Diego Comic-Con. However, fans should note that Shore’s contribution to theLord of the Ringsseries' score is limited, but his return to the franchise will certainly be notable.
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Deadline had reported on it last year, but today it was officially confirmed: Shore is back.The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerwill feature an original title theme composed by Shore. In other words, it will be an entirely new song, different from the movies, but still made by those familiar hands. However, the rest of the series’ score will be composed not by Shore, but by Emmy-winning composer Bear McCreary, who is known for his atmospheric and world-building compositions in media such asBattlestar Galactica,The Walking Dead,Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and2018’sGod of War.
McCreary says that in his score he tried to emulate and pay tribute to Shore’s iconic soundtracks from the previous Middle Earth films, includingThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy andThe Hobbittrilogy. According to Deadline, McCreary composed the songs “for a full symphonic orchestra, alongside vibrant folk instruments and choral singers.” These details all certainly hit the right note, and it sounds like the series’ overall score will be similar to the previousLord of Ringsscores.
In any case, Shore’s addition to the crew will be a relief to fans. The lack of involvement from Peter Jackson in the upcoming series was a cause of concern for many, and there are not many names that have crossed over from the film series to the streaming series. The series showrunners are J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay, two newcomers with very few production credits under their belt. The show’s first episode is known to have been directed by J. A. Bayona, director of 2018’sJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
In Jackson’s films, the music was crucial in immersing viewers in the grandiose fantasy world. Shore’s main theme should help tremendously in this regard for the streaming series as well. For those unfamiliar with McCreary’s work, two songs fromThe Rings of Power’s soundtrack are available to stream on Amazon Music.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerwill debut on Amazon Prime Video on July 31, 2025.
