‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Elm Street: Dream Warriors’ Composer Angelo Badalamenti Has Passed Away

A legendary, Emmy-nominated composer known for his work with David Lynch, we’ve learned the sad news this afternoon that Angelo Badalamenti has passed away at the age of 85.

Born on March 22, 1937 in New York City, Angelo Badalamenti earned three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for the musical composition and main title theme music he contributed to David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” and Badalamenti also composed the scores for Lynch’s movies including Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and Mulholland Drive.

In 1991, Badalamenti’s “Twin Peaks” theme won him a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, cementing its status as one of the all-time great TV themes.

With nearly 100 credits under his belt, Angelo Badalamenti also scored countless other movies including A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Wild at Heart, The City of Lost Children, Arlington Road, The Beach, Secretary, Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever, Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist, Dark Water, and The Wicker Man.

Angelo Badalamenti more recently reunited with David Lynch for “Twin Peaks: The Return,” which featured material from the original score along with brand new compositions.