Transformers Soundtrack: Composers, Songs and Albums by Film

Five composers have scored the nine Transformers films: Vince DiCola, Steve Jablonsky, Dario Marianelli, Jongnic Bontemps and Brian Tyler. Jablonsky wrote the music for five of them, and every other film has its own composer. Here they are in release order.

Vince DiCola scored The Transformers: The Movie (1986), the animated spin-off directed by Nelson Shin. Its album, "The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", came out on Scotti Bros. Records on August 8, 1986, with 10 tracks. The cues people search for are "Death of Optimus Prime", "Autobot/Decepticon Battle", "Escape" and "Hunger".

Steve Jablonsky scored the five Michael Bay films. Each of the first four has a song album, and their track lists include "What I've Done" by Linkin Park on Transformers (2007), "New Divide" on Revenge of the Fallen and "Iridescent" on Dark of the Moon:

• "Transformers: The Album", Warner Bros. Records, July 3, 2007, which also carries "Doomsday Clock" by The Smashing Pumpkins and "This Moment" by Disturbed.
• "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Album", Reprise Records, June 12, 2009, which includes "21 Guns" by Green Day.
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Album: Music From and Inspired by the Film", Reprise Records, June 7, 2011.
• "Transformers: Age of Extinction (Music from the Motion Picture)", released May 9, 2014, for Age of Extinction, which includes "21st Century Breakdown" by Green Day.

The Last Knight (2017) is the one with a full score album: "Transformers: The Last Knight: Music From the Motion Picture", Paramount Pictures, June 23, 2017, with 34 tracks. Look for "The Coming of Cybertron", "Merlin's Staff", "Sacrifice" and "Today We Hunt".

Dario Marianelli scored Bumblebee (2018), directed by Travis Knight. It has two albums, both released December 21, 2018: "Bumblebee: Original Motion Picture Score" on Paramount Music Corporation (24 tracks) and "Bumblebee (Motion Picture Soundtrack)" on Republic Records (16 tracks). The score cues include "Cybertron Falls", "Bee on the Run" and "Meeting Bumblebee".

Jongnic Bontemps scored Rise of the Beasts (2023), directed by Steven Caple Jr. Its album came out on Milan on June 9, 2023, with 26 tracks, among them "The Maximals", "Museum Heist" and "Battle at Ellis Island".

Brian Tyler scored Transformers One (2024), directed by Josh Cooley. "Transformers One: Music from the Motion Picture" was released by Sony Classical on September 20, 2024, with 27 tracks, including "Orion Pax", "Birth of the Primes" and "Transform the Dark".

The next film is still in development and no composer has been announced. See the new transformers movie page for updates.

The signature songs of the Transformers films run from "The Touch" by Stan Bush in the 1986 animated movie to "What I've Done" by Linkin Park over the end credits of Transformers (2007), and on to "If I Fall" by Quavo and Ty Dolla Sign in Transformers One (2024). Here is each film in turn, with where the songs play when that is documented and which ones were written for a film.

The Transformers: The Movie (1986). "The Touch" by Stan Bush plays as the heroes' theme when Optimus Prime declares that Megatron must be stopped and transforms into truck mode, and again when Hot Rod becomes Rodimus Prime and confronts Galvatron. Stan Bush also sings "Dare". The rest of the rock lineup is "Instruments of Destruction" by N.R.G., "Nothin' Gonna Stand in Our Way" and "Hunger" by Spectre General (Kick Axe), and "The Transformers (Theme)" by Lion. Late in the film, "Dare to Be Stupid" by Weird Al Yankovic plays as the theme of the Junkions, over a scene in which a helicopter robot pulls a sword out of nowhere.

Transformers (2007). "What I've Done" by Linkin Park plays over the end credits after the final scene. The Goo Goo Dolls contribute "Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)", and the rock set also includes "Doomsday Clock" by The Smashing Pumpkins, "This Moment" by Disturbed, "Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used and "Passion's Killing Floor" by HIM. Bumblebee's radio carries "Drive" by The Cars after Mikaela leaves Trent at the park, "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye before the hillside overlook, and "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown after Sam hits the radio. "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" by Tomoyasu Hotei plays as Bumblebee's new look is introduced.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009). "New Divide" by Linkin Park was written for the film. Instrumental pieces of it play several times, and the full song plays over the end credits. "21 Guns" by Green Day plays during Sam and Mikaela's opening phone call and as Sam moves into his dorm, and it returns in the end credits. "Never Say Never" by The Fray plays as the pair kiss goodbye. At the college frat party, "Burning Down the House" by The Used is the first song heard and "Burn It to the Ground" by Nickelback is the second.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). "Monster" by Paramore and "All That You Are" by Goo Goo Dolls were both written for the film. "Monster" plays over the end credits and "All That You Are" plays while Sam is at work. "Iridescent" by Linkin Park plays as Sam rides through a devastated Chicago and again over the end credits. "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith backs a montage of Sam on job interviews.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014). "Battle Cry" by Imagine Dragons was written for the film and plays during the final battle and again over the end credits. "Leave Planet Earth Alone", also by Imagine Dragons, starts as the end credits begin, built on the drum beat from "Battle Cry". The album adds "21st Century Breakdown" by Green Day and "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer.

Bumblebee (2018). Set in 1987, this film leans on 1980s pop, including "Take on Me" by a-ha, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, "Bigmouth Strikes Again" by The Smiths and "Save a Prayer" by Duran Duran. Hailee Steinfeld sings "Back to Life". "The Touch" by Stan Bush returns in a motivational sequence for the young heroine, which is also an in-joke because the song was pivotal in the 1986 animated film.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023). "On My Soul" by Tobe Nwigwe, Nas and Jacob Banks was written for the film. The 1994 setting brings in hip hop of the era, such as "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" by Wu-Tang Clan, "Check the Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest and "Represent" by Nas.

Transformers One (2024). "If I Fall" by Quavo and Ty Dolla Sign and "Together As One" by Excision were both written for the film.

Our picks: the best songs in the Transformers films (opinion)

• "The Touch" by Stan Bush: in my opinion the franchise's defining song, and the one Bumblebee (2018) winks at 32 years later.
• "New Divide" by Linkin Park: perhaps the best use of a song in the series, since it was written for Revenge of the Fallen and its instrumental pieces recur before the full version plays.
• "Battle Cry" by Imagine Dragons: it was written for Age of Extinction and sits over the final battle, which is where a Transformers song earns its place.
• "Dare to Be Stupid" by Weird Al Yankovic: the funniest placement in the series, scoring the Junkions and a helicopter robot with a sword.
• "What I've Done" by Linkin Park: it closes Transformers (2007) over the end credits and suits the film's mood well.
• "Iridescent" by Linkin Park: it fits the shot of Sam crossing a devastated Chicago, and it returns over the end credits.
• "On My Soul" by Tobe Nwigwe, Nas and Jacob Banks: the most distinctive modern entry, written for a film whose soundtrack otherwise draws on 1990s hip hop.

To find where to stream these films, check where to watch transformers, and for the full run of releases see transformers movies in order.