One of the better things to come from the Eragon movie was the original score composed by Patrick Doyle and orchestrated by James Shearman. Punk rock singer Avril Lavigne and popular female artist Jem both recorded original songs released alongside Doyle’s soundtrack.
Doyle is a two time Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee best known for his work on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Thor. Despite the universal disappointment with the Eragon movie, the original score has enjoyed success, referred to as the only gem to come from the adaptation with a rating of over 4.5 stars on various online music stores.
Below is a Youtube playlist with all 14 songs from the original soundtrack. The composition’s highs and lows beautifully capture the spirit of the story and books. It’s a great set of music to listen to while reading through the Cycle (or any epic fantasy), or when writing your own book. Those looking to purchase the soundtrack can find physical copies available on Amazon for $4.99, and digital copies are available on the streaming app Spotify (free with ads) and can be purchased from iTunes.
Outside of the original soundtrack, two popular artists recorded original songs for the film. Punk rock singer Avril Lavigne (of “Sk8r Boy” and “Girlfriend” fame) wrote and recorded an original song and music video, “Keep Holding On,” for the movie. The music video features Lavigne playing piano interspersed with clips from the film.
Keep Holding On (Avril Lavigne)
Jem is a electronica and pop rock singer and songwriter known for her hits including “They” and “24” (recorded for Ultraviolet). She wrote and recorded “Once in Every Lifetime,” based on the film.
Once in Every Lifetime (Jem)
“Keep Holding On” enjoyed chart success in the United States and abroad. The community’s consensus seems to be that both songs are rather cheesy and generic in nature (applicable to any coming-of-age story).
Now we ask: What do you think of Patrick Doyle’s score? Do you think it fits the books? How do you feel about Avril Lavigne and Jem’s original songs?
