As one of the best films of the year, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is on pace to receive plenty of awards and accolades and could end up being the director’s most successful project to date.
Yet, while much of the praise One Battle After Another likely receives will be directed at the writing, directing (both by Anderson), and acting performances (highlighted by Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Chase Infiniti), the soundtrack might quietly go on to be the film’s greatest legacy.
Even if you only saw the trailer for One Battle After Another, you’ve likely heard the iconic motifs associated with the film’s soundtrack that have helped it to stand out as one of the greatest soundtracks of all time.
Let’s explore what makes the One Battle After Another soundtrack so iconic, evocative, and memorable, along with helpful resources for finding the perfect royalty free soundtrack music for your own films and creative projects.
Who composed the One Battle After Another soundtrack?
The soundtrack for One Battle After Another was composed by English musician and composer Jonny Greenwood Johnny Greenwood. Best known as the lead guitarist and keyboardist for the indie rock band Radiohead, Greenwood first worked with Anderson by providing the score for There Will Be Blood in 2007.
Since that initial first collaboration, Greenwood has worked with Anderson on six projects, with One Battle After Another being the most recent and, arguably, their best work together yet.
Based on the nature of the duo’s close relationship, according to Forbes, Greenwood was involved with the film since its inception and had been working on the script since 2023. Greenwood began composing the film before shooting began and tweaked his work after reviewing dailies during production.
The best Jonny Greenwood soundtracks
Along with his frequent collaborations with Anderson, Greenwood has composed soundtracks for 10 feature films and has become one of the most iconic and sought-after composers in the film industry.
Jonny Greenwood soundtracks are often noted for their sparse, abrasive soundscapes, which directors use to build tension and suspense, putting viewers on edge to shape the kind of epic soundtrack music that leaves a lasting emotional impact. The composer is also quite skilled at resolving, though his soundtracks often ultimately culminate in pieces of resolution and atonement.
Here are some of the most well-known and iconic Jonny Greenwood soundtracks.
There Will Be Blood
The Master
Norwegian Wood
The Power of the Dog
Phantom Thread
Royalty free music similar to the One Battle After Another soundtrack
If you’re feeling inspired by One Battle After Another and its soundtrack and looking to find a similar-sounding music to provide the backdrop for your own film projects (or any other type of video content, for that matter), then we’re here to help.
No, Jonny Greenwood likely isn’t going to be available to compose a custom score for you, but well-crafted royalty free soundtracks can deliver a similar cinematic tone and emotional depth. Here is some similar-sounding, royalty free music for soundtracks to consider for your projects.
1. Heroes Are Back by Adam Saban
- Description: A high-energy, classical song that is best described as suspenseful and angry. Strings and guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 90
- Key: E Minor
- Listen and license here
2. The March to Freedom by Phillip Mount
- Description: A medium-energy, classical song that is best described as inspiring and suspenseful. Big drums and strings are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 122
- Key: C Major
- Listen and license here
3. In The Age Of Super Heroes by Wicked Cinema
- Description: A high-energy, score song that is best described as suspenseful and inspiring. Strings and a violin are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 136
- Key: G Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, classical song that is best described as inspiring and reflective. Synth and strings are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 118
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, score song that is best described as angry and suspenseful. Horns and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 110
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, score song that is best described as suspenseful and scary. Ambient tones and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 135
- Key: D Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, electronic song that is best described as suspenseful and inspiring. Percussion and bells are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 107
- Key: C Minor
- Listen and license here
8. Storm’s Coming by Cody Martin
- Description: A high-energy, classical song that is best described as suspenseful and angry. Strings and horns are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 100
- Key: G Minor
- Listen and license here
9. Mission Accomplished by Moments
- Description: A high-energy, classical song that is best described as suspenseful and inspiring. Strings and big drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 120
- Key: D Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, classical song that is best described as suspenseful. Strings and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 143
- Key: G Minor
- Listen and license here
Along with the tracks above, you can also further explore the Soundstripe music library by asking Soundstripe’s AI search assistant, Supe, to help you out.
Supe is a brand-new AI search assistant that reimagines music search as a dynamic, back-and-forth interaction. So, instead of entering a single search prompt and scrolling through static results, users can collaborate with an intelligent assistant that understands natural language, reacts to feedback, and guides them toward the perfect track.
You can learn more about Supe and get started with its AI-assisted search for your royalty-free music tracks now.
What is royalty free music
Let’s also take a quick minute to talk to you about music licensing and some terms you might not be familiar with. “Royalty free music” is a music licensing phrase that can sound odd, but it’s pretty simple. Here’s a great read on what royalty free music means.
To understand how music rights and royalties work, you must know that all music has basic copyrights. These copyrights extend to both the composer of the music and the musicians who performed and recorded it. And if you want to use any music in any videos, you’ll need to obtain permission from the copyright owners.
Royalty-free music can be an excellent option for all your videos, simply because it’s easy to find and use. Soundstripe’s music is composed and recorded by Grammy-winning artists who know how to make great music for all types of films and video content.
More resources for finding the right epic soundtrack music for your projects
To wrap things up, we’d like to leave you with even more resources and links further to explore the vast world of soundtracking and music licensing. Here are some additional articles on the Soundstripe blog that we’d recommend checking out
