close
close

His Top 10 Movie Scores

His Top 10 Movie Scores

This list was originally published in 2022. It was republished on the eve of the new documentary Music by John Williamswhich starts broadcasting Disney+ November 1.


The thing about John WilliamsHis career as a composer for film, television and beyond is such that, after more than 75 different projects, there is no real miss. This list of his best film scores could have had 25 or 30 entries; His resume is simply full of iconic themes that have already proven their ability to stand the test of time.

During a panel at the TCA Summer 2021 Press Tour, Williams reflected on what it takes to create these unforgettable pieces of music: “These little cues and simple themes that represent characters are things that I have to work really hard to do I shape them. , redo them, try what in the end seems simple, inevitable, inevitable. As simple as they are, they are hard to find. When they feel good, they communicate in a very short time, which is very important in film music. We can feel it.”

For decades, he’s done just that (often for director Steven Spielberg, but occasionally for someone else). So we look back at his musical legacy, including his compositions for The jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jonesand of course Star Wars.

Below are the 10 most iconic film scores from John Williams’ filmography, with literally dozens more coming in at number 11.

Liz Shannon Miller
Senior Entertainment Editor