Photo: Sarah Ackerman / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Alan Menken, born on July 22, 1949 in New Rochelle, New York, United States, is a pianist, songwriter and film score composer. That puts Alan Menken at 77 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes New Rochelle High School and New York University College of Arts and Science. Recorded honors include Academy Award for Best Original Score (1990, 1992, 1993), Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (1996), Disney Legends (2001) and 2 more. Notable works include The Little Mermaid: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
My Take
Alan Menken essentially scored the emotional architecture of a generation's childhood. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas—those melodies are so embedded in collective memory that we forget one composer wrote them all. The EGOT and the stack of Oscars are impressive, but what moves me is the staying power: songs written decades ago still surface at weddings, funerals, and bedtime. That's a different order of achievement than awards measure. A New York University kid who became the sound of Disney's renaissance, Menken proves that craftsmanship in service of feeling outlasts almost everything. I hold him in genuine awe.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Alan Menken
- Name (Japanese)
- アラン・メンケン
- Reading
- あらん・めんけん
- Born
- July 22, 1949 (age 77)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Ox
- Origin
- New Rochelle, New York, United States
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / songwriter / film score composer / record producer
2. Background
- High school
- New Rochelle High School
- University
- New York University College of Arts and Science
Awards & achievements
- 1990 Academy Award for Best Original Score
- 1992 Academy Award for Best Original Score
- 1993 Academy Award for Best Original Score
- 1996 Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
- 2001 Disney Legends
- 1990 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
- 1990 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
- 1992 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Little Mermaid: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | — | |
| Notable work | Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | — | |
| Notable work | Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | — | |
| Notable work | Pocahontas: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | — | |
| Notable work | Enchanted: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | — | |
| Notable work | Tangled: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.alanmenken.com/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/alanmenken/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan%20Menken
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B1%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q317272
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Alan Menken born?
Born July 22, 1949 (age 77).
Where is Alan Menken from?
Alan Menken is from New Rochelle, New York, United States.
What does Alan Menken do?
Alan Menken works as composer, pianist, songwriter, film score composer, record producer.
What is Alan Menken known for?
Notable works include The Little Mermaid: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
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