Rob Simonsen is an American composer and conductor. He is best known for his scores in films such as 500 Days of Summer (2009), The Age of Adaline (2015), Gifted (2017), The Only Living Boy in New York (2017), Tully (2018), Love, Simon (2018), The Front Runner (2018), The Way Back (2020), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), The Adam Project (2022), The Whale (2022), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), It Ends with Us (2024) and Elio (2025), and the television series Life in Pieces (2015–2019). He is also known for collaborating with directors Marc Webb, Julia Hart, Jason Reitman, Shawn Levy, Darren Aronofsky, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

Early life

Simonsen began playing the piano by ear at an early age. His grandmother was a voice teacher and music was around him in his family home. He later studied music at Southern Oregon University, the University of Oregon and Portland State University.

Career

Rob's first break into film composing was the independent feature Westender in 2003. In 2004 he teamed up with composer Mychael Danna and has provided additional music and arrangements on Surf's Up, Fracture, Moneyball, and the Oscar-winning Life of Pi. Simonsen and Danna co-wrote the score of (500) Days of Summer, and Joss Whedon's television series Dollhouse. Also among Simonsen's work includes the Sundance Film Festival features The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now, The Age of Adaline, Love, Simon, The Way Back, and Stargirl.

In 2009 he opened his own studio, and The Hollywood Reporter named him one of the "15 Composers Primed to Take Their Place on the A List."

Simonsen's music can be heard in nearly all iPhone 5 ads, and he appears in them as the conductor.[citation needed] "Red", one of his tracks for iPhone 5, has gained wide recognition. His music was featured in Coca-Cola's 2018 Super Bowl TV spot, "The Wonder of Us".

On September 6, 2019, Simonsen released his first solo album, Rêveries, on Sony Masterworks.

Awards

Filmography

Films

YearTitleDirector(s)Studio(s)Notes
2003WestenderBrock MorseM.O.B Productions—N/a
2004Two FistedTodd E. FreemanYork Entertainment—N/a
2005Eve and the Fire HorseJulia KwanMongrel MediaComposed with Mychael Danna
2006Lonely HeartsTodd RobinsonRoadside Attractions Samuel Goldwyn FilmsAdditional music Score by Mychael Danna
2007Surf's UpAsh Brannon Chris BuckSony Pictures Releasing Columbia Pictures
2008Stone of DestinyCharles Martin SmithAlliance FilmsAdditional music
ManagementStephen BelberSamuel Goldwyn FilmsCo-composed with Mychael Danna
2009The Imaginarium of Doctor ParnassusTerry GilliamLionsgate UKAdditional music Score by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna
(500) Days of SummerMarc WebbFox Searchlight PicturesCo-composed with Mychael Danna
2010All Good ThingsAndrew JareckiMagnolia Pictures—N/a
2011The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the BestRyan O'NanOscilloscope—N/a
MoneyballBennett MillerSony Pictures Releasing Columbia PicturesAdditional music Score by Mychael Danna
2012The English TeacherCraig ZiskCinedigm Entertainment—N/a
LOLLisa AzuelosLionsgate—N/a
The Final MemberZach Math Jonah BekhorDrafthouse FilmsDocumentary
Seeking a Friend for the End of the WorldLorene ScafariaFocus FeaturesComposed with Jonathan Sadoff
Girl Most LikelyShari Springer Berman Robert PulciniLionsgate Roadside Attractions—N/a
Life of PiAng Lee20th Century FoxAdditional music Score by Mychael Danna
2013The Spectacular NowJames PonsoldtA24—N/a
The Way, Way BackNat Faxon Jim RashFox Searchlight Pictures—N/a
2014Wish I Was HereZach BraffFocus Features—N/a
Chu and BlossomCharles Chu Gavin KellyTideRock Media Character Brigade Films 5 Productions Soaring Flight Productions Baked Industries—N/a
FoxcatcherBennett MillerSony Pictures ClassicsAdditional music by Mychael Danna and West Dylan Thordson
2015The Age of AdalineLee Toland KriegerLionsgateAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff
BurntJohn WellsThe Weinstein Company—N/a
StonewallRoland EmmerichRoadside AttractionsReplaced Harald Kloser and Thomas Wander
2016NerveHenry Joost Ariel SchulmanLionsgate—N/a
ViralDimension Films RADiUS-TWC—N/a
Miss StevensJulia HartThe Orchard—N/a
Two Is a FamilyHugo GélinMars Films—N/a
The CleanseBobby MillerVertical EntertainmentComposed with Eskmo
2017Going in StyleZach BraffWarner Bros. Pictures New Line Cinema—N/a
GiftedMarc WebbFox Searchlight PicturesAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff
The House of TomorrowPeter LivolsiShout! Studios—N/a
The Only Living Boy in New YorkMarc WebbRoadside Attractions Amazon StudiosAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff
The UpsideNeil BurgerSTXfilms Lantern Entertainment—N/a
Father FiguresLawrence SherWarner Bros. PicturesAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff
2018
Love, SimonGreg Berlanti20th Century Fox—N/a
TullyJason ReitmanFocus Features—N/a
The Front RunnerSony Pictures Releasing Columbia Pictures Stage 6 Films—N/a
2019Captive StateRupert WyattFocus Features—N/a
Fast ColorJulia HartLionsgate Codeblack Films—N/a
Our FriendGabriela CowperthwaiteGravitas Ventures—N/a
2020The Way BackGavin O'ConnorWarner Bros. Pictures—N/a
StargirlJulia HartDisney+ Walt Disney Pictures—N/a
2021Ghostbusters: AfterlifeJason ReitmanSony Pictures Releasing Columbia PicturesAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff
2022The Adam ProjectShawn LevyNetflixAdditional music by Taylor Lipari-Hassett
Hollywood StargirlJulia HartWalt Disney Pictures Disney+Composed with Duncan Blickenstaff
The WhaleDarren AronofskyA24—N/a
2023Good GriefDan LevyNetflix—N/a
2024Deadpool & WolverineShawn LevyMarvel StudiosAdditional music by Taylor Lipari-Hassett
It Ends with UsJustin BaldoniSony Pictures Releasing Columbia PicturesReplaced Brian Tyler Composed with Duncan Blickenstaff
2025ElioMadeline Sharafian Domee Shi Adrian MolinaWalt Disney StudiosAdditional music by Duncan Blickenstaff and Taylor Lipari-Hassett First score for an animated film
Caught StealingDarren AronofskySony Pictures ReleasingComposed with the Idles

Television

YearTitleCreator(s)Studio(s)Notes
2009DollhouseJoss WhedonFox2 seasons Composed with Mychael Danna
2010Blue BloodsRobin Green Mitchell BurgessCBSTheme music composer Score by Mark Snow
2012BattlegroundJ. D. WalshHuluSeason 1
2015Life in PiecesJustin AdlerCBS2 seasons
2022Stranger ThingsThe Duffer BrothersNetflixOrchestral arrangements Score by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein

Discography

Studio albums

  • Rêveries (2019)

External links