Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: Watchmen Vol 1 (Soundtrack)

Watchmen (Music from the HBO Series) is the original score for the HBO superhero drama limited series Watchmen, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The score was released in three volumes on vinyl and digital services over the course of the series’ broadcast in 2019, with Volume 1 on November 6, Volume 2 on November 27, and Volume 3 on December 18.

Watchmen is Reznor and Ross‘ first collaborative soundtrack for scripted television following their work on a number of award-winning films (beginning with The Social Network in 2010), as well as the documentary series The Vietnam War in 2017. The score combines the duo’s signature electronic and dark ambient sounds with jazz and blues compositions, a piano cover of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” and features a number of interludes containing in-world content from the series’ universe, including dialogue excerpts and fictional advertisements.

The score was critically acclaimed, with many reviewers considering it Reznor and Ross’ best work to date. Particular praise was given to the album’s stylistic range, as well as its role in crafting the series’ distinct atmosphere. The score earned Reznor and Ross the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series in 2020.