The Rock (soundtrack)

The Rock (Original Motion Picture Score) is the film score to the 1996 film The Rock directed by Michael Bay starring Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris. The film score is jointly composed by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith and Harry Gregson-Williams, with the latter also producing the score and released through Hollywood Records label on June 7, 1996, the same day as the film.

The score was mainly contributed by Nick Glennie-Smith, while Hans Zimmer wrote the main themes and other additional pieces.^[1] Zimmer wanted to credit the entire score to Glennie-Smith having minimal influence in the project, while denying of any reports as a rescue job on a score started by another composer, calling it a collaborative effort. The score was recorded within four weeks.^[2][3] The Rock marked Zimmer's maiden collaboration with Bay, who would later on compose for most of Bay's films.^[1] Harry Gregson-Williams would serve as the producer, with Don Harper and Steven M. Stern providing additional music. Zimmer used instruments from Euphonix, Steinberg Cubase, Yamaha, Fairlight to create the score.^[1]

The Rock (Original Motion Picture Score) was released through Hollywood Records on June 7, 1996, as a CD and cassettes.^[4][5] The album accompanied only eight tracks of the score, each running from one to fifteen minutes, though the complete score was not unveiled.^[1] A double CD expanded edition of the score was released through Intrada Records on October 3, 2023.^[6]

Zanobard Reviews wrote "Nick Glennie-Smith, Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams' The Rock is quite simply the gold standard for an action score, with multiple well-crafted main themes and many a phenomenal action setpiece thoroughly cementing this immense orchestral/electronic album as a genuine '90s classic."^[7] James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "It's a rather silly but not unrewarding score for a rather silly but not unrewarding film, and it changed everything."^[8]

Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks wrote "The Rock is a decent score, and is great fun in parts when heard in the film, but Zimmer and the others are capable of far better."^[9] Jason Ankeny of AllMusic wrote "Too many cooks spoil the broth here—with so many contrasting compositional approaches in the mix, the music is a disjointed mess, and thematic unity is nothing more than an afterthought."^[10] Todd McCarthy of Variety considered the score "synthesizer-dominated".^[11]

Credits adapted from liner notes:^[12]