Danny Elfman Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Main TitleDanny Elfman6rank/position

Edward Scissorhands – “Main Title” (Danny Elfman)

The first time director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp teamed up was for the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands.

Its theme, Main Title, was composed by American musician Danny Elfman.

It opens with a dreamy celesta melody, then grows grander as strings and harp layer in, drawing you in as you listen.

The female vocal harmonies that come in later heighten the sense of fantasy, resulting in a finish that feels quintessentially Tim Burton.

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Main Title ThemeDanny Elfman7rank/position

Mission Impossible – Main Theme

The classic TV drama Mission: Impossible was remade as a feature film, with Tom Cruise himself serving as both producer and star, turning it into a massive hit series.

Fans will know that in every installment of the series, Lalo Schifrin’s score from the original Mission: Impossible is used in various arranged forms.

The theme, in particular—famous for its unconventional 5/4 time and a melody everyone has heard at least once—continues to serve as the main theme in the Mission: Impossible films.

The version featured here is the one used in the landmark first theatrical release from 1996.

Danny Elfman’s thrilling orchestral arrangement, who scored the film, delivers a sound befitting a big, action-packed blockbuster.

Just listening to it makes you feel the tense excitement of being the film’s protagonist!

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Main TitlesDanny Elfman8rank/position

Main Titles

This is the opening theme from Tim Burton’s gothic horror film Sleepy Hollow.

Its weighty orchestration intertwines with eerie choral voices, drawing you into a dark, fantastical world of fog-shrouded forests haunted by the Headless Horseman.

Composed by the master of film music, Danny Elfman, the piece appears on the soundtrack of the 1999 film of the same name.

Its exceptional musicality earned high praise, including the Saturn Award for Best Music.

If you want to create an authentically horror-tinged Halloween party, you couldn’t choose better.

Put this track on, and your space is sure to transform into a creepy old mansion.

Mission Impossible ThemeDanny Elfman9rank/position

Mission Impossible Theme (Full Theme)

It’s the main theme from the spy film Mission: Impossible.

The composer is Lalo Schifrin, who also worked on the music for Dirty Harry.

Once you hear it, it sticks in your head.

It’s full of an unbroken sense of tension and driving momentum.

Beyond the flashy surface, it also conveys the dangerous aura of espionage.

Remains of the DayDanny Elfman10rank/position

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride main song – Remains of the Day

This is a song from the 2005 film Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, directed by Tim Burton, who also directed The Nightmare Before Christmas and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Sung within a work themed around “death,” this upbeat track is sure to boost the Halloween mood!