Who composed the musical score for Aladdin?

Alan Menken composed the musical score for Disney’s Aladdin.

Menken was the film’s principal composer and wrote its instrumental score as well as the music for its songs. His work helped give Aladdin its distinctive blend of Broadway-style orchestration, Middle Eastern-inspired color, jazz, and comic musical writing. The soundtrack includes memorable numbers such as “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali,” and “A Whole New World.”

Menken collaborated with lyricists Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Ashman had worked with Menken on the early development of Aladdin and wrote lyrics for several songs before his death in 1991; Rice then completed additional songs, including the lyrics for “A Whole New World.”

The film earned Menken the Academy Award for Best Original Score. A common mix-up is naming Ashman or Rice: both were lyricists, while Menken was the composer responsible for the music and score.