Contemporary composers produce some pretty enjoyable material too. An area that has really taken off and is receiving far more recognition these days is composition in the entertainment industry. Hans Zimmer is probably the most well known name in this regard, though Howard Shore, Harry Gregson-Williams, and John Williams are highly celebrated as well.
Once the elephant in the room, but now widely appreciated and increasingly impressive, video game scores are getting better and better. I find them to be particularly useful when I write scenes of higher action and intensity, and they often fit the fantasy genre better than a lot of other material. So, whether reading or writing, I like listening to music like this:
The Main Theme from Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, composed by Lorne Balfe and Jesper Kyd.
