James Newton Howard is one of the most prominent film score composers, known for orchestrally oriented scores, with a selection ranging from relationship dramas to romantic comedies to large-scale action pictures. He is also an arranger, orchestrator and record producer. He has written or arranged songs for Barbra Streisand, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Rickie Lee Jones, Cher and many more. His song “The Hanging Tree” - performed by Jennifer Lawrence for The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay OST - has been all over the charts worldwide.
He has written over 70 movie scores, including The Fugitive (Academy Award nomination), Space Jam (an ASCAP Award winner), Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding, Guilty by Suspicion, Major League, King Ralph, Prince of Tides (Academy Award nomination), Primal Fear (ASCAP Award), Runaway Bride, The Sixth Sense, A Perfect Murder, One Fine Day (Grammy nomination), Batman Begins, The Hunger Games, and The Bourne Legacy. He has been twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song ("For the First Time" from One Fine Day and for "Look what Love has Done" from Junior).
In addition, he wrote the themes for the television series The Sentinel and E.R. (winning an Emmy award and an ASCAP Award). His music is particularly admired for its seamless blending of popular and classical music elements.