This list was originally published in 2022. It has been republished on the eve of the new documentary Music by John Williams, which begins streaming on Disney+ November 1st.
The thing about John Williams’ career as a composer for movies, television, and beyond is that after over his 75 different projects, there aren’t any real misses. This list of his best film scores literally could have been 25 or 30 entries long; his resume is simply packed with iconic themes which 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 actually create these unforgettable pieces of music: “These little signals and simple themes representing characters are things that I have to work on very hard to kind of forge them, remake them, try what eventually seems like simple, inevitable, inescapable. As simple as they are, they are tricky to find. When they feel right, they do communicate in a very short time, which is very important in film music. We can feel it.”
For literally decades, he’s done just that (often for director Steven Spielberg, but every once in a while for someone else). So we’re looking back on his musical legacy, including his compositions for Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and of course Star Wars.
Below are the 10 most iconic movie scores in John Williams’ filmography, with literally dozens more coming in at 11th place.
— Liz Shannon Miller
Senior Entertainment Editor