Tyler Bates is an American composer and music producer best known for his work on film scores, television series, and collaborations with iconic artists such as Marilyn Manson, Evanescence, Jerry Cantrell, Alexis Krauss, Mastodon, Bush, and In This Moment. With a career spanning over three decades, Bates has significantly influenced the sound of contemporary cinema and modern media.
His collaborations with directors such as Chad Stahelski, Zack Snyder, Ti West, Genndy Tartakovsky, and James Gunn have yielded critically acclaimed scores for blockbuster films, contributing to over a dozen number-one movies and generating several billion dollars in global box office revenue. From Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects to the stylized superhero chaos of Deadpool 2, Bates's range has made him a leading force in cinematic sound design.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Bates was raised in a musically rich environment. His mother introduced him to an eclectic range of styles, including classical, jazz, rock, and experimental music. Weekly trips to Tempo Records helped foster his lifelong love for music. He began playing the alto saxophone in school jazz and concert orchestras, then discovered a more profound passion for composing when he picked up the electric guitar at the age of 12. He instinctively began layering sounds using multiple cassette recorders, foreshadowing his future in music production and film scoring.
In the mid 1990s, Bates formed the band Pet with vocalist Lisa Papineau. The group was signed to Atlantic Records and featured on the soundtrack for The Crow: City of Angels, which went platinum the week their self-titled debut album was released. They then embarked on their first North American tour.
Around this time, Bates began scoring films, starting with low-budget horror and thriller titles. Notable early projects include Rated X (1999), Get Carter (2000), and What’s the Worst That Could Happen? (2001). These early experiences enabled Bates to refine his craft and develop a distinctive sound.
Bates's breakthrough came in 2004 with Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead. The haunting and aggressive score perfectly complemented the film's apocalyptic atmosphere. This marked the beginning of a successful creative partnership with Snyder.
His 2007 score for 300, also directed by Snyder, brought him widespread acclaim. Fusing traditional orchestration with modern electronics and heavy guitar riffs, the score became iconic and helped define the sonic template for modern action films. Bates continued his collaboration with Snyder on projects like Watchmen (2009) and Sucker Punch (2011), each showcasing his ability to push musical boundaries.
In 2014, Bates composed the score for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, directed by James Gunn. The film’s emotional core and adventurous tone were elevated by Bates’s orchestral score, composed early enough in production to influence the film’s pacing and mood. He returned for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), further developing the film’s musical themes with greater emotional resonance and complexity.
Beyond the silver screen, Bates has composed music for numerous TV series, including Californication, Criminal Minds, Primal, The Punisher, Samurai Jack, The Purge, Salem, The Exorcist, and Stumptown. His influence also extends to video games, where he has crafted immersive scores for major titles like God of War: Ascension, Far Cry 6, Army of Two: The 40th Day, and Killzone: Shadow Fall.
Bates’s signature style is a bold fusion of orchestral grandeur, electronic development, and rock- inspired attitude. His ability to blend desperate musical ideas into emotionally powerful soundscapes has made his work instantly recognizable and widely respected.