Though some did not find composer Alexandre Desplat's melodies for Compass as memorable as the aforementioned works, the soundtrack was praised by most film score critics.

Kate Bush wrote and performed a song for the film called "Lyra."

1. "The Golden Compass"
2. "Sky Ferry"
3. "Letters from Bolvangar"
4. "Lyra, Roger and Billy"
5. "Mrs. Coulter"
6. "Lyra Escapes"
7. "The Magisterium"
8. "Dust"
9. "Serafina Pekkala"
10. "Lee Scoresby's Airship Adventure"
11. "Iorek Byrnison"
12. "Lord Faa, King Of The Gyptians"
13. "The Golden Monkey"
14. "Riding Iorek"
15. "Alexandre Desplat Samoyed Attack"
16. "Lord Asriel"
17. "Ragnar Sturlusson"
18. "Ice Bear Combat"
19. "Iorek's Victory"
20. "The Ice Bridge"
21. "Alexandre Desplat Rescuing The Children"
22. "Alexandre Desplat Intercision|Intercision"
23. "Alexandre Desplat Mother|Mother"
24. "Alexandre Desplat Battle With The Tartars|Battle With The Tartars"
25. "Alexandre Desplat Epilogue|Epilogue"
26. "Kate Bush Lyra|Lyra"

• "'The Golden Compass' remains a score better built for intellectual appreciation rather than mainstream enjoyment." - Filmtracks

• "All in all this is a sterling effort, a veritable music dreamscape, from a composer who can do little wrong it seems..." - Music From The Movies