'The Crown' on Netflix: Who wrote the music and can you buy the soundtrack?

The Crown is one of Netflix's most popular dramas. Here are the composers behind its powerful music and theme tune

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Published: September 21, 2020 at 1:37 pm

The Crown is one of the most popular shows to be produced by Netflix, and with a fourth series coming soon The Crown continues to captivate audiences around the world.

The royal saga, which charts the reign of Queen Elizabeth II from her ascension to the throne in 1952 to the turn of 21st century, is full of drama, intrigue and glamour. Every two series’ the cast changes in order to represent the ageing royal family, and that succession is mirrored in the music.

Who wrote the music to seasons 1 and 2 of The Crown on Netflix?

The music for the first two series’ was composed by Wiltshire-born composer Rupert Gregson-Williams, who was joined for Series Two by Scottish composer Lorne Balfe. Both have enjoyed high-profile careers in Hollywood, thanks in no small part to their work at Hans Zimmer’s ‘Remote Control’ studio in Santa Monica, California.

Hans Zimmer himself penned the show’s Main Title theme music – a rather mesmerising composition with a nod to Purcell and Handel.

Hans Zimmer’s influence is apparent in the episodic scoring; his flair for drama and a multi-layered palette of sounds and instruments simmers away very effectively in the hands of Gregson-Williams and Balfe.

Who wrote the music to season 3 and 4 of The Crown on Netflix?

Series’ Three and Four features music by British composer Martin Phipps, who has written some of the great small screen scores of recent years – including those for War & Peace, Wallander, The Virgin Queen, Victoria and Peaky Blinders. His contribution to Olivia Colman’s reign is perhaps a little more traditional, featuring musicians from the Chamber Orchestra of London. His score for the Aberfan episode earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination this year.

Phipps, who has also collaborated with Hans Zimmer, studied drama at the University of Manchester and is the godson of Benjamin Britten.

Can you buy the soundtrack for Netflix's The Crown?

You can buy the soundtrack to Season 1 of The Crown by Rupert Gregson-Williams and Hans Zimmer from Amazon. The soundtracks to season 2 and season 3 are also available.

The Crown soundtrack: season 3

The Crown soundtrack: season 4

When is Season 4 of The Crown released on Netflix?

Season 4 of The Crown will be released on Netflix on 15 November 2020.

Watch the trailer for Season 4 of Netflix's The Crown

The Crown is now available to stream on Netflix. Sign up to Netflix now from £5.99 per month

Top image by Getty Images

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