Who composed the original score for Pixar’s Cars?

Randy Newman composed the original score for Pixar’s Cars.

Newman wrote the film’s instrumental score and co-wrote its songs, including the title song “Our Town.” His music gives Cars a warm, nostalgic tone that matches the story’s interest in small-town life, historic highways, and changing ideas of success. The score also includes orchestral themes for Lightning McQueen, Radiator Springs, and the racing sequences.

Randy Newman won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Our Town,” making it one of the film’s most notable awards successes. He had already collaborated with Pixar on earlier films such as Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., so his involvement in Cars continued a long creative relationship.

Thomas Newman is a different composer who worked on films including Finding Nemo and WALL-E. Michael Giacchino later composed Pixar scores such as The Incredibles and Up. These names are commonly mixed up because all are major film composers associated with animated features.