Whether in Film, TV or Video Games, music is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of the process, delivering the emotional whammy or the exciting crescendo that makes the best shows even better.

The composers who create these scores are masters of the field, immersing us in these worlds like no other can, and for me, my favourite of them all is Michael Giacchino.

In the world of Film, he’s worked alongside Pixar, Disney and even Dinosaurs to produce some of the best soundtracks of the last few decades, but it’s his masterful work in Television that has brought him to the attention of the world and to me.

Spending his formative years creating scores for popular video games, such as Medal of Honor and Call of Duty, he was eventually approached by JJ Abrams to create the soundtrack for hit show Alias. Yet when Abrams began work on a little show called Lost, it was Giacchino who was chosen to be the orchestrator of the Islands many mysteries.

Utilising instruments made from pieces of plane fuselage, the music made for the show over six years was some of the most memorable in TV history, making Giacchino one of the top composers in Hollywood.

Lost famously divided people during its six-season run, that’s coming from a massive fan, but, for most, Giacchino’s score remained consistent throughout. Within his oeuvre are some of the most wonderful themes I’ve ever heard and a hefty amount of them come from his work on Lost.

Listening to some of these pieces made me realise how a show or a piece of music could make me really feel and it’s the sheer beauty of Giacchino’s compositions that can frequently bring me to tears. Though his work on Alias and Fringe can rank among his best work, I want to particularly focus on music that touched me in a way that so few other scores have done. Here are my top six pieces of Lost music, oh, and spoilers.

Hurley’s Handouts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEU0IiV68v0



Now some of these may be very similar pieces but out of the six I’ve chosen, this joyous little piece from Season 2 is comparatively cheery. It’s also Hurley in a nutshell, goofy and surprisingly melancholic, it gives the shows light relief character a sense of purpose during a tough season for everyone.

Story continues

Locke’d Out Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IblqxkNwc9I



It was the first season episode Walkabout that made people sit up and pay attention as we finally got some backstory for the mysterious John Locke. This exquisitely building theme ramps up the emotion as we discover that Locke was in a wheelchair before the crash and as he screams “Don’t tell me what I can’t do” we can’t help but feel those goosebumps.

Karma Has No Price

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yge_JoOaeUk



For three seasons Ben Linus was the deceptive, conniving leader of the others and after killing Jacob he was redeemed during an impassioned speech to Ilana with this beautiful score to accompany it. His journey was undoubtedly a fascinating one but it was his relationship with his daughter that gave him his best qualities, this piece of music was the moment in which we began to love Ben as a good guy.

Life and Death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twHXrNtG-7c



Lost in a nutshell. Life and Death is the show’s most beloved piece and reflects the themes of the show. It makes Lost, Lost and memorably occurs every time a main character dies. It was when you first heard this theme that you realised this show had a heart and soul next to the action and adventure.

Parting Words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrjs93NIaJY

During Season one’s epic three-part finale, Michael, Sawyer, Jin and Walt sail off on their island made raft, waving goodbye to their loved ones. In this emotionally poignant scene, the music builds and pure joy is punctuated by a foreboding finish which tells us that this is only the beginning. For the show, it was a historic moment.

Moving On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5wOHIi7xCU



The finale was indeed controversial but this final piece of music is a work of art. As the characters gather in the afterlife, represented by a church, the stunningly beautiful composition swells up and we see everyone happy and together. This wasn’t some they were in purgatory all along cop out but rather a wonderful realisation that all the people we love would end up together in the end.

Of all of his scores, Moving On makes me cry the most, not with sadness either.

He’s not only done superb work on TV, Michael Giacchino has also made some of the most memorable Film scores of the last decade. From The Incredibles, through Ratatouille and Up to Inside Out and Jurassic World, his classical style puts him in the same category as composers like John Williams.

I will never forget the score to Lost, though the series may forever remain in my favourites, there’s no doubt that without the music, the show wouldn’t have taken me on as much of a life-changing journey.

Thank You, Michael Giacchino.

P.S. In September he’ll be performing some of the music from Lost in LA, one reason to wish I lived there.