Good Omens

The angel and devil on your shoulder will agree that this soundtrack is worth a listen.

Image source: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Omens-Original-Television-Soundtrack/dp/B07SMFKS33

Good Omens Soundtrack by David Arnold

Rating: 10/10

I was admittedly very excited when it was first announced that Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens was going to be adapted into a TV series. I loved the novel, I loved the actors they chose for Aziraphale and Crowley, and I was just excited to see if the adaptation would be any good. As someone who loves to read and often loves books far more than their film adaptations, I loved the idea of a TV adaptation because it meant there would be more details from the novel that could be included in the series. Along with that, it meant there would be a very long, very interesting soundtrack to follow the story.

The soundtrack is an hour and thirty minutes long, and each track is an individual thought. Because each scene focuses on a different story line with different characters, the music and themes have to switch rapidly between tracks. Whether it is more gentle and mysterious to reflect the young anti-christ, Adam, or more whimsical and clumsy to represent the iconic angel and demon duo, the musical motives all fit their characters very well.

Each episode of the six-episode series ran for about an hour, meaning David Arnold essentially had to compose three times the amount of music that a film composer usually has to create. The fact that each track is different enough from the others while still feeling connected is an incredible feat. For instance, the motive heard in the title music is heard throughout the soundtrack at pivotal moments and to help signify Aziraphale and Crowley’s scenes and their coming mischief.

The instrumentation on each track is also interesting. For a TV series, the score has quite a film like production quality to it (I suppose the same could be said about the series itself, as it did seem like one large movie rather than six distinct episodes). Some tracks had the distinct soaring orchestra, while other tracks had a more simple instrumentation with only a few instruments. Others had a combination of the two, such as the track “Delivery for Pollution”. The track begins with a simple acoustic guitar and drums but soon grows into an ominous full symphony orchestra sound. Some tracks also include a choir, which adds to the ethereal sounds and atmosphere that surround the story.

Overall, I truly enjoyed the series and its musical accompaniment. I feel like the direction they took Good Omens really represents the novel well and honored Terry Pratchett and his incredible wit. I love that I can envision a scene just from hearing the track that played behind it. With each track’s interesting character and instrumentations, it’s a very enjoyable listen.