Jóhann Gunnar Jóhannsson (19 September 1969 – 9 February 2018) was an Icelandic composer.
He wrote music for a wide array of media including theatre, dance, television and films. His work is stylised by its blending of traditional orchestration with contemporary electronic elements. He was friends and collaborated with fellow Icelandic musician and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir on several albums and films.
Jóhannsson died of an accidental overdose of cocaine combined with medication in Berlin on February 9, 2018.
Film scores he composed include:
- Prisoners
- The Theory of Everything
- Sicario
- Arrival
- mother! (2017) note
- Mandy
- Mary Magdalene note
Tropes associated with this composer:
- Associated Composer: He worked together with director Denis Villeneuve on Prisoners, Sicario and Arrival. Jóhannsson was also working on Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 before being replaced by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch.
- Genre Roulette: The 2006 Kitchen Motors Family Album featured a contribution from Jóhann, "Beginning and end". The diversity in the album would influence his own musical direction as well.
- Silence Is Golden: mother! used to have a score, but after Jóhann and Darren Aronofsky checked it out, they felt that it was too much, and scrapped the music, lending a hand in heightening the sound design instead.
- What Could Have Been: His work on Blade Runner 2049 was eventually not retained for the film. Villeneuve later hinted that this was because Jóhansson's score was more orchestral whereas he wanted to go back to the electronic style of Vangelis, something both Villeneuve and Jóhansson agreed was the best course of action.
