This will not be music to Simpsons fans’ ears: The show has jettisoned its Emmy-winning composer Alf Clausen, EW has confirmed.
It’s a surprising move: Clausen came aboard the animated Fox comedy in 1990’s season 2, and has scored the show ever since, earning a whopping 23 Emmy nominations for his joyful songs and soundscapes along the way, including a pair of wins in 1997 and 1998. The 76-year-old Clausen told Variety, which first reported the news, that a Simpsons producer informed him that he would not be scoring the show moving forward, and that a “different kind of music” would be used.
It is unclear at this point if the 35-piece orchestra that Clausen used for each episode will be retained. The Simpsons theme music, which was created by Danny Elfman, is likely to remain in place.
Clausen has also served as the composer of such shows as Moonlighting and ALF.
A spokesperson for The Simpsons declined to comment on Clausen. The show’s 29th season begins Oct. 1.
More to come…
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com