David Arnold

Composer David Arnold has had a long and super-diverse career, one that has involved a few collaborations with director Roland Emmerich. In addition to Independence Day, the two collaborated on Stargate and Godzilla. Arnold's also well known for his work on several of the Bond movies—so, yeah, he's not exactly a stranger to scoring action films.

Given his work on Independence Day, which is full of dramatic string flourishes and lots of percussion, we're not surprised he's so in demand for such projects; he clearly knows how to use a score to amp up the drama.

Sure, it's sometimes hard to hear over all the explosions, but the score definitely thunders and soars along with the action, often amping up the dramatic impact of what's happening.

Sometimes, the music serves to indicate transition in mood or circumstances, as when Russell finally swoops into save the day toward the end. Immediately after he comes over the radio to say he's ready to help, the music gets all triumphant and soaring—suggesting that a big heroic moment is just around the corner.

And, of course, it is. So the music gives us some pretty good foreshadowing at times.

Oh, and we should also mention one nice little musical touch early in the film: right before the dude at SETI gets the alert for the alien signal, R.E.M.'s "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" is playing on their radio. Cliché? Sure—but again, great foreshadowing.

Lest you think Arnold is a one-trick pony, by the way, we have to mention that he also wrote music for—wait for it—SpongeBob So, it's not all star voyages and spies for him.