The 20 best John Williams scores, ranked
- - The 20 best John Williams scores, ranked
Alex Galbraith, Kevin Jacobsen, James MercadanteFebruary 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM
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E.T. (voice: Pat Welsh) in 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'; Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in 'Schindler's List'; Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler in 'Jurassic Park'
Universal; David James/Universal; Universal Pictures
If the American blockbuster had a signature sound, odds are that it would come from the mind of John Williams. Having crafted the memorable melodies of Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Home Alone (1990), Jurassic Park (1993), the first three Harry Potter films, and all nine movies in the Star Wars saga, there has arguably never been a more impactful composer in film history.
Working steadily since the mid-'60s, Williams has earned a whopping 54 Oscar nominations — the second-most for any artist behind Walt Disney — winning five. His score for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) also made him the oldest person to receive an Oscar nomination, at 91. While Williams previously implied he would be retiring after that fifth Indiana Jones film, he has since changed his mind, saying in 2023, "I'll stick around for a while. I can't retire from music. A day without music is a mistake." Williams has since composed the score for Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, set for release on June 12 this year.
As we look forward to more lush, adventurous music, read on for EW's ranking of 20 of John Williams' best scores.
20. Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Michelle Yeoh as Mameha and Ziyi Zhang as Chiyo Sakamoto/Sayuri Nitta in 'Memoirs of a Geisha'
David James/Columbia
If you asked the average person to name John Williams' scores off the top of their head, Memoirs of a Geisha might not be the first selection that comes to mind. However, that doesn't mean his compositions for Rob Marshall's epic 2005 film — starring a who's who of Asia's finest acting talent, including Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Ken Watanabe — aren't worth seeking out.
Williams turns his ear for propulsive and bombastic melodies onto traditional Japanese instrumentation, creating a work that sways between gentle, meditative themes for the titular geisha (Ziyi) and heart-pounding selections to fill out her chaotic, tragic life. —Alex Galbraith
19. Far and Away (1992)
Tom Cruise as Joseph Donnelly in 'Far and Away' Phillip Caruso/Universal
Yet again, Williams is able to translate the music of another country into his own signature style. This Ron Howard-directed romantic adventure tells the story of two Irish immigrants (Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman) looking to make a new life on the American frontier.
Far and Away's opening theme sounds like nothing less than if Jurassic Park's Dr. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) himself had opted to build his ill-fated island park off the coast of Galway. The film's soundtrack carries on that way throughout, showing the boundless energy of hardscrabble, down-to-their-last-dime people via fifes, fiddles, and harps. —A.G.
18. Home Alone (1990)
Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in 'Home Alone' 20th Century Studios
Breaking into the Christmas canon isn't easy. The holidays are so strongly built around tradition that essentially one piece of music has entered the seasonal lexicon since the days of Nat "King" Cole and Bing Crosby: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You."
Still, Williams' score for this Chris Columbus-directed, John Hughes-written classic likely bubbles near the back of the average person's mind when they think of Christmastime. The composer manages to layer his hijinks-filled soundtrack for booby traps with sleigh bells to give us yuletide cheer with a side of smirk. —A.G.
17. Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999)
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn in 'Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace' Lucasfilm Ltd.
Though The Phantom Menace was rightfully derided for its overstuffed plot, stiff dialogue, and strange changes to the Star Wars canon, even the staunchest hater had to admit that the final showdown between Darth Maul (Ray Park) and this prequel's pair of Jedi (Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn) was dazzling.
Williams is the only composer willing to go big enough to match the reveal of a second lightsaber blade, and "Duel of the Fates" is one of the greatest pieces of music in any Star Wars movie. —A.G.
16. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
Rosalid Harris as Tzeitel, Neva Small as Chava, and Michele Marsh as Hodel in 'Fiddler on the Roof'
United Artists/Getty
The art of adapting scores is no longer honored at the Oscars, but Williams' take on Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's iconic musical is a strong argument for why it should be brought back. Williams won his first of five Oscars for Fiddler on the Roof, seamlessly tailoring the Broadway musical's score to the big screen.
Williams conducts his orchestra with full respect for the musical's main themes of Jewish resilience, delivering a full-bodied score that feels in concert with Tevye (Topol) and his family's struggles. —Kevin Jacobsen
15. The Book Thief (2013)
Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann and Sophie Nélisse as Liesel Meminger in 'The Book Thief'
Jules Heath/20th Century Fox
The Book Thief marked Williams' first non-Steven Spielberg score in eight years, and while the film had mixed reviews, his work received near-universal praise. Williams elegantly crafted haunting melodies for this tale of a young German girl living through World War II as she steals books to give to a Jewish man she's befriended.
The score, which evocatively utilizes two pianos playing simultaneously, also won Williams a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition and earned him his 44th Oscar nomination for Best Original Score, setting a record in that category that he's since extended to 49. —James Mercadante
14. The Fabelmans (2022)
Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman, Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord as Sammy Fabelman, and Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman in 'The Fabelmans' Merie Weismiller Wallace/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment
For Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film about his childhood, it was only natural for the director to ask Williams to compose the score. After all, few composers so accurately communicate the wonder and pain of early life, and young Sammy Fabelman's life is full of both.
Williams' plaintive score is deceptively simple and moving, mostly comprised of melodic piano tracks. As Sammy discovers his passion for filmmaking and struggles to cope with his parents' marital issues, Williams' musical accompaniment — which earned him yet another Oscar nomination — only enhances his emotional journey. —K.J.
13. Hook (1990)
Dante Basco as Rufio and Robin Williams as Peter Banning/Peter Pan in 'Hook'
Murray Close/Sygma/Sygma via Getty
Steven Spielberg's clever fantasy adventure Hook finds Peter Pan (Robin Williams) all grown up in modern-day London, having forgotten his experiences with Wendy, Captain Hook, and others in Neverland. Originally envisioned as a musical, Williams was tasked with writing original songs with lyricist Leslie Bricusse before the idea was scrapped.
Williams then integrated some of the song's melodies into the instrumental score, and the result is one of his most accomplished works to date. The score is rich with childlike wonder as it flows gracefully with grown-up Peter's journey back to Neverland as he rediscovers his youthful spirit. —K.J.
12. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Leonardo DiCaprio (center) as Frank Abagnale Jr. in 'Catch Me If You Can'
Andrew Cooper/DreamWorks
Spielberg employed Williams to compose a playful, jazzy score to this highly entertaining dramedy about Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), a con man who claims to have faked his way into several jobs in the mid-to-late-'60s.
Williams' score for Catch Me If You Can features some of his trademark sweeping orchestral numbers. But the composer also makes great use of the saxophone, which playfully dances through melodies that transport the viewer back to the swinging '60s and evokes the spirit of Henry Mancini. —K.J.
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' Everett Collection
There simply isn't a better composer for imagining the sound of a new world. Williams has been called on to create the backdrop for a guerrilla war in outer space, an island where dinosaurs have been brought back to terrifying life, and the landscape of a just-hidden world where witches and wizards live.
He's answered each with an instantly recognizable theme that helped cement these imaginary places in our brains. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Williams draws us into the characters' magical realm with a playful yet slightly sinister music box theme that soon expands out into a grandiose series of orchestral broomstick swoops, setting the stage for the mega-successful series to come. —A.G.
10. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
(Front center): Tom Sizemore as Mike Horvath and Tom Hanks as Capt. John H. Miller in 'Saving Private Ryan'
David James/DreamWorks
John Williams has scored everything from the explosion of the Death Star to the arrival at Hogwarts, so it takes a big moment for the composer to take a backseat to anything. However, it doesn't come much bigger than World War II.
Williams' score for Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is perfectly balanced within the narrative, as it works incredibly well in the moments between the film's bloody set pieces, but falls completely silent for the horrific and tense moments of chaos that mark Ryan's harrowing and stunning battle sequences. —A.G.
9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
People crowding as the 'Mothership' arrives on earth in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' Everett Collection
It's a rare feat to place a piece of music at the center of a movie and have it hold up the weight. That Thing You Do! (1996) pulled it off with a title track that doesn't get old despite endless plays.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind manages it in an entirely different way with its simple yet eerie keyboard communication that's both hummable and iconic. An entire film of buzzy, chaotic music suddenly cuts away so that these sounds can ring out clearly across the cosmos. Both in the movie and as part of the score, it works against all odds. —A.G.
8. Superman: The Movie (1978)
Christopher Reeve as Superman in 'Superman: The Movie' Everett Collection
Williams renders the comic-book exploits of the first major superhero in big, broad strokes with his score for Richard Donner's 1978 opus, Superman: The Movie. The alien protector of Metropolis (and, by extension, America), played with indelible charm and gravitas by Christopher Reeve, is heralded by a brass, four-note riff as simple and bold as his tricolor spandex.
The blaring, martial horn intro that marked Superman's arrival on the scene carries with it the entire edifice of American nostalgia. Its "Men From Over There" simplicity reduces the world to black and white (or CMYK, at the very least), making it clear that Superman is the Good Guy, and he's here to fight the not-so-good ones. The military stomp of the score is so tied up in the conception of Superman as an ultra-powerful Eagle Scout that the theme had to be tossed entirely when directors wanted to add a few layers of grime onto the character in the 2010s. While we can't say that decision led to the backlash against DC's grimdark turn in 2013, it certainly didn't help. However, Williams’ themes were revisited in 2025 with writer-director James Gunn’s take on the Last Son of Krypton. —A.G.
7. Schindler's List (1993)
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler and Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern in 'Schindler's List'
David James/Universal
John Williams likely isn't the first name that comes to mind when looking for a score for a somber, heart-wrenching, and often brutal story about Nazi Party member Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who used his connections and wealth to shield his Jewish workers from harm during the Holocaust. Of course, longtime collaborator Steven Spielberg thought otherwise, and with Schindler's List, the pairing once again proves fortuitous and captivating.
Williams comes through with a haunting score that incorporates Yiddish and Israeli songs in a soundtrack to European Jews just hoping to make it through another day. Spielberg was right to lean on Williams, and the Academy rewarded him for Best Original Score. —A.G.
6. Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and David Prowse (voice: James Earl Jones) as Darth Vader in 'Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back' Lucasfilm Ltd.
Certain pieces of music nail their assignment so well that they become shorthand for specific sentiments. Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," for instance, tells us someone is overcoming the odds, while Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire" resonates with the sounds of being inspirationally athletic.
"The Imperial March," on the other hand, will always tell us that a towering evildoer is coming this way. Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) didn't need the march to come across as intimidating — the blacked-out space samurai outfit told the viewer plenty. Still, it's questionable that Star Wars' iconic villain would stick in our memory in quite the same way without those lock-step strings and blaring horns. —A.G.
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Lucasfilm Ltd.
Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is an amalgam of Hollywood archetypes, the essence of a big-screen hero boiled down and maybe left on the stove too long. All of the daring and courage of the Golden Age films about cowboys, fighters, pilots, and pirates is distilled into the score for the first Indiana Jones movie.
Raiders co-architect George Lucas returned to Williams following the latter's work on the original Star Wars movies, trusting him to create yet another iconic theme, including, of course, "The Raiders March" for yet another instantly classic character. —A.G.
4. Jurassic Park (1993)
Rexy the dinosaur in the visitor's center in 'Jurassic Park' Universal Pictures
How can you capture the awe at being confronted with the truly incomprehensible? What is the sound of your first encounter with the impossible? John Williams typically has the answers to these questions.
His sweeping theme for Jurassic Park accompanies the first view of a herd of brontosauruses, matching the wide-eyed wonder of Sam Neill and Laura Dern beat for beat. That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise. —A.G.
3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Henry Thomas as Elliott Taylor and E.T. (voice: Pat Welsh) in 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Bruce McBroom/Universal
By the time John Williams got the call for Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, he was well-versed in creating the sound of outer space. The challenge with E.T. comes in making the vastness of it all sound more cute and cuddly than frightening and awe-inspiring.
Ever one to showcase his ingenuity, though, Williams seems to find the balance by twisting his space opera strings a half-step toward "When You Wish Upon a Star," landing on the perfect backdrop for a Reese's Pieces-eating alien (voiced by Pat Welsh). —A.G.
2. Jaws (1975)
Roy Scheider as Chief Martin Brody in 'Jaws'
Universal
Steven Spielberg's Jaws is largely defined by what you don't see, leaving your mind to fill in the blanks between snippets of the killer shark. This choice was largely forced onto the young director due to problems with his massive animatronic creature.
When the time came for Williams to score the results, he went along with the film's use of negative space, letting the dread fill in the emptiness between a primordial two-note bass line. The spaces get smaller and smaller as the shark approaches, radiating a sense of that closing distance until the string stabs cut into the listener like so many glistening teeth. It's an instantly iconic theme that set the tone for Spielberg and Williams' long and fruitful creative partnership. —A.G.
1. Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977)
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, and Harrison Ford as Han Solo in 'Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope' Lucasfilm Ltd.
There's nothing new left to say about the first entry in the Star Wars franchise and its music. Williams was asked to score a piece of filmmaking that would forever change the way that movies are made.
The masterful composer managed to match director George Lucas' vision with an opening theme that fit the bill, announcing the sea change with a blast of brass that no doubt caused first-time viewers to jump in their seats. That feeling was still fresh decades later when the American Film Institute named the score the greatest of all time. How could we give the top spot to anything else? —A.G.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
