Behind the Score: Music-Making for Universal’s Cinematic World
From iconic anthems of Jurassic Park to Pharrell’s unforgettable hits in Despicable Me, Universal’s music is more than a backdrop—it’s a vital part of the narrative that connects audiences around the world.
September 10, 2024
From original scores that have resonated for decades to inspired soundtracks that break industry streaming records, the music behind Universal’s films is an essential element to their success. Songs that cross generations help enhance their history of cinematic storytelling, whether it is Jurassic Park’s iconic anthem or the latest pop hit from an animated blockbuster.
At NBCUniversal, we work with the best music talent to create the iconic soundscapes of our films -- from world-class composers to 80—piece orchestras and international stars.
Mike Knobloch, President of Music & Publishing for Universal, and his team are behind the creation and execution of Universal films' music and soundtracks. With more than 25 years of experience, Knobloch has overseen the music for some of Universal's most successful franchises including Fast & Furious, Pitch Perfect, Despicable Me, Fifty Shades of Grey, as well as the highest-grossing biopic of all time, Oppenheimer (Oscar®, GRAMMY, BAFTA and Golden Globe-winner for Best Score). Over the last decade, songs and soundtracks he has supervised have been streamed more than 42 billion times.
Universal has a diverse film portfolio stretching from the action-packed Jurassic World franchise and Twisters, to the highest-grossing animated film franchise of all time Despicable Me, to iconic musicals such as Wicked, debuting just before Thanksgiving. Creating music for a diverse array of film genres requires collaborative work between the Universal teams, filmmakers, record labels, and artists, who all work together to ensure that the music in the film helps drive the story.
For Twisters, which opened at the domestic box office with a record-breaking $81.25 million, the Universal Music & Publishing team, along with its partners on the film, had the opportunity to create a soundtrack of 29 original songs, and work with country music’s finest such as Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, and more. Plus, three of the soundtrack artists created original music videos for their singles. “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma (From Twisters: The Album)” by Luke Combs is nominated for The Music Video of 2024 and The Male Song of 2024 for the People's Choice Country Awards which will air live Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Plus, check out the NBC Shop for new Twisters merchandise.
Music icon Pharrell has been a meaningful part of the music for the Despicable Me franchise, which has earned over $5 billion at the global box office. From his Oscar-nominated song “Happy” from Despicable Me 2, to his latest return to the franchise with the single “Double Life” for Despicable Me 4, the importance of his music in the film is compared to having Steve Carrell reprise his role as the voice of “Gru".
The highly anticipated Universal film, Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, was a unique and exciting project for the Universal Music & Publishing team. Challenged with adapting the blockbuster Broadway musical tracks to work for a never-been-done-before cinematic version of the story, the film adaptation created new opportunities for the music, such as the ability to record with an 80-piece orchestra. Wicked fans old and new will hear the music in a whole new way in the upcoming film, which debuts just ahead of Thanksgiving on November 22, 2024.
