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July 7, 2025 21 mins

Mark Snow, composer for The X-Files and hundreds of other TV shows and movies, died on July 4th, 2025, at the age of 78. Michaela and Ed discuss the importance of Snow's work to the success of The X-Files, why his use of synths stood out in the TV landscape of the 1990s, and why his work - particularly the iconic theme - resonates to this day.

Music clips used in this episode, all composed by Mark Snow:

"X-Files Theme"

"Slimed"

"Insequi"

"Deverbero"

"X-Files Theme (Terrestrial Mix)"

"Secret Desires" (from Private Fears in Public Places)

Also, this interview with Mark Snow about writing the X-Files theme is very good. Couldn't find any space for clips of it in the episode, but it's well worth watching for a discussion of the creative process that produced one of the most iconic pieces of music in television history.

Mark as Played

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