Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, composer, and arranger. Born in Los Angeles to an extended family of Hollywood film composers, he is known for his Americana-inspired songs, non-rhotic Southern-accented singing, and lyrics that are often mordant or satirical and delivered by an unreliable narrator. Since the 1990s, he has worked mainly in film scoring, most popularly for Disney and Pixar. Newman began his professional career in the early 1960s composing incidental music for television and later penning UK hits for acts such as Cilla Black, Gene Pitney, and the Alan Price Set. After he formed part of a creative circle at Warner Bros. Records in 1966, the company released his first solo album, Randy Newman (1968). Other artists subsequently enjoyed chart success with recordings of his songs "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (1967), "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" (1968), and "You Can Leave Your Hat On" (1972). His own hits as a recording artist include "Short People" (1977), "I Love L.A." (1983), and "You've Got a Friend in Me" (1995). Three of his eleven studio albums have charted in the U.S. top 40: Good Old Boys (1974), Little Criminals (1977), and Harps and Angels (2008). Newman has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards (out of 22 nominations), three Emmys, seven Grammy Awards as well as nominations for a BAFTA Award and seven Golden Globe Awards. His award-winning film work includes Ragtime (1981), The Natural (1984), Toy Story (1995), A Bug's Life (1998), Pleasantville (1998), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Cars (2006), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Marriage Story (2019). He was honored with the Recording Academy's Governors Award in 2003, a Disney Legend award in 2007,[5][6] and inductions into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Description above from the Wikipedia article Randy Newman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Biography from TMDB.
- November 28, 1943 (82)
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Composer and actor, also writer
- 44 on MovieCove · 58 credits in all
What are Randy Newman's films like?
Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 31
Light 22 · Serious 7 · Dark 3
A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 9
Gentle 10 · Charged 19 · Intense 3
A split, not a type: Steady 16 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 3
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 15
Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 1
Casual 25 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 22 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 4
Resolved 29 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy19
- Bittersweet12
- Ambiguous1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Randy Newman's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (14).
- Toy Story (1995) · composer
- Toy Story 3 (2010) · composer
- Monsters, Inc. (2001) · composer
- Toy Story 2 (1999) · composer
- Toy Story 4 (2019) · composer
- Cars (2006) · composer
- Toy Story 5 (2026) · composer
- The Princess and the Frog (2009) · actor, composer
- Monsters University (2013) · composer
- A Bug's Life (1998) · composer
- Mike's New Car (2002) · composer
- James and the Giant Peach (1996) · composer
- +2 more
- Awakenings (1990) · composer · free
- Meet the Parents (2000) · composer · free
- Maverick (1994) · composer · free
- Overboard (1987) · songs · free
- Cold Turkey (1971) · composer · free
- ¡Three Amigos! (1986) · actor, writer · free
- Red Headed Stranger (1986) · foley recordist · free
- Meet the Fockers (2004) · composer · free
- Her Alibi (1989) · songs · free
Subscription and free streaming for Randy Newman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
58 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page; 38 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Toy Story 5(2026)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The Last Critic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Pixar Pal-A-Round | Disneyland Resort (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Radiator Springs Racers | Disneyland Resort (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Piano Cinéma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Monsters at Work(2021)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows
Hacks(2021)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
Marriage Story(2019)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Toy Story 4(2019)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
The Meyerowitz Stories(2017)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Cars 3(2017)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Monsters University(2013)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Randy Newman: Live in Germany 2006 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Toy Story 3(2010)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Leatherheads(2008)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Geared-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Cars(2006)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Meet the Fockers(2004)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
I Am, Unfortunately, Randy Newman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Seabiscuit(2003)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Mike's New Car(2002)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Monsters, Inc.(2001)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Meet the Parents(2000)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Toy Story 2(1999)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
You've Got Mail(1998)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
A Bug's Life(1998)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Babe: Pig in the City(1998)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Pleasantville(1998)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Ally McBeal(1997)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Cats Don't Dance(1997)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Michael(1996)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
3rd Rock from the Sun(1996)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
Toy Story(1995)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Land of Dreams - Randy Newman's America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Maverick(1994)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
The Paper(1994)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Awakenings(1990)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Avalon(1990)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Parenthood(1989)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Major League(1989)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Her Alibi(1989)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Overboard(1987)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
¡Three Amigos!(1986)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Red Headed Stranger(1986)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Darlin' Clementine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Tall Tales & Legends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Natural(1984)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Ragtime(1981)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Chytilová Versus Forman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Pursuit of Happiness(1971)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Cold Turkey(1971)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Performance(1970)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all filmsMontage: Great Film Composers and The Piano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 59 titles, 58 of them dated from 1970 to 2026.
Biggest box office
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Highest rated
Toy Story (1995)
Most popular right now
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Film career
- 2009Screen debut· The Princess and the Frog
- 2009Oscar nomination· The Princess and the Frog
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
Awards
2 Oscars, 3 Primetime Emmys and 7 other major awards from 61 major nominations, 1970–2026.
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best American Roots Performance
- Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
- Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for Visual Media
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score
- Grammy Award, won · Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
- Oscar, won · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
+2 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
- Grammy Award, won · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Song
- Oscar, nominated ×2 · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
+1 other major body · 2 nominations
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Song
- Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
+1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, won · Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
+1 other major body · 2 nominations
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Instrumental Performance
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, won · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Show 14 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Oscar, won · Best Music, Original Song
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
+1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, won · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
+1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, won · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Grammy Award, nominated ×2 · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
+1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, won · Best Instrumental Composition
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Instrumental Performance
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Original Song
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Score
- Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Randy Newman's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 82nd percentile, the median of all 40; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 83rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up28
- 50th to 74th10
- 25th to 49th6
Shape of the crowd
None of their 44 titles divides audiences: 26 are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved11
- Crowd Pleaser26
- Broadly Agreed4
- Mixed3
Reviewers score the sound and music 72/100 in their films, across 28 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 55. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Randy Newman's work okay for kids?
Across up to 26 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Randy Newman work with?
People who share at least 2 of Randy Newman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Lasseter shares the most, 10.
Directors
- John LasseterShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Cars 3 (2017), Toy Story 3 (2010), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Cars (2006), Mike's New Car (2002), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Toy Story 2 (1999), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story (1995)See all 10 shared titles with John Lasseter
- Lee UnkrichShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Toy Story 3 (2010), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Toy Story 2 (1999), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story (1995)See all 6 shared titles with Lee Unkrich
- Pete DocterShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Mike's New Car (2002), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story (1995)See all 5 shared titles with Pete Docter
- Noah BaumbachShared titles: Marriage Story (2019), The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Noah Baumbach
Writers
- Andrew StantonShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Toy Story 3 (2010), Monsters, Inc. (2001), Toy Story 2 (1999), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story (1995)See all 6 shared titles with Andrew Stanton
- Joe RanftShared titles: Cars (2006), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story (1995)See all 3 shared titles with Joe Ranft
- Jeff PidgeonShared titles: Toy Story 3 (2010), Mike's New Car (2002), Monsters, Inc. (2001)See all 3 shared titles with Jeff Pidgeon
- Kiel MurrayShared titles: Cars 3 (2017), Cars (2006)See all 2 shared titles with Kiel Murray
Actors
- Tim AllenShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Toy Story 3 (2010), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story (1995)See all 4 shared titles with Tim Allen
- Tom HanksShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Toy Story 3 (2010), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story (1995)See all 4 shared titles with Tom Hanks
- Wallace ShawnShared titles: Marriage Story (2019), Toy Story 3 (2010), Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story (1995)See all 4 shared titles with Wallace Shawn
- Owen WilsonShared titles: Cars 3 (2017), Cars (2006), Meet the Fockers (2004), Meet the Parents (2000)See all 4 shared titles with Owen Wilson
Cinematographers and editors
- Jean-Claude KalacheShared titles: Toy Story 4 (2019), Monsters University (2013), Cars (2006)See all 3 shared titles with Jean-Claude Kalache
- Sharon CalahanShared titles: Monsters, Inc. (2001), Toy Story 2 (1999), A Bug's Life (1998)See all 3 shared titles with Sharon Calahan
- Jennifer LameShared titles: Marriage Story (2019), The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Jennifer Lame
- Robbie RyanShared titles: Marriage Story (2019), The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Robbie Ryan
Producers
- Darla K. AndersonShared titles: Toy Story 3 (2010), Cars (2006), Monsters, Inc. (2001), A Bug's Life (1998)See all 4 shared titles with Darla K. Anderson
- Kevin ReherShared titles: Cars 3 (2017), A Bug's Life (1998)See all 2 shared titles with Kevin Reher
- Kori RaeShared titles: Monsters University (2013), Monsters, Inc. (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Kori Rae
- Amy SayresShared titles: Meet the Fockers (2004), Meet the Parents (2000)See all 2 shared titles with Amy Sayres
Mixed roles
- Bob PetersonShared titles: Cars 3 (2017), Monsters, Inc. (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Bob Peterson
