History AwesomeMusic / JohnWilliams

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip-ubq5HwpY The adventurous and majestic "Prologue"]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AvLT82a6Q "Man Against Beast"]] combines dramatic suspense with the heroic theme of the heroes.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AvLT82a6Q "Man Against Beast"]] combines dramatic suspense with the heroic and adventurous theme of the heroes.

** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip-ubq5HwpY "Prologue"]].

Williams' contributions to the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' films can be found [[AwesomeMusic/HarryPotter here.]]

[[folder:''Star Wars'']]
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcZ9kQ1h-ZY The main theme, aka Luke's Theme]].
* When Vader breaks free of the Dark Side in ''Return of the Jedi'' the music switches from an "evil victory is imminent" rendition of the Emperor's Theme to a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oziz8lT35DE kick-in-the-gut minor chord version of the "Force Theme"]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzVBqBosf5w "Duel of the Fates"]] also qualifies as an example of OminousLatinChanting, even though it's a Welsh poem sung in Sanskrit.
* The famous Romeo & Juliet-inspired love theme, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWOudms6sk "Across]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nk_WHHTQtY The Stars"]]. And the trilogy's ''other'' great love theme, "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLLvvF3j7Fk Han Solo and the Princess]]".
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2PWvzU2JUU "Binary Sunset"]] proves that even contemplative interludes are totally awesome when placed in the hands of John Williams. Just amazing.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8 The Imperial March]]. The StarWarsExpandedUniverse [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_march hints]] that the Imperial March really is the martial theme of the Imperial Navy.
** Turned UpToEleven with the pants-wettingly terrifying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlrdUJF0s-0 "The Emperor Arrives"]].
*** And wonderfully spoofed by ''Family Guy'' when used as background elevator music in "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side".
** Transformed into a haunting funeral dirge in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ZmyEKPIvs "Darth Vader's Death"]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW-E0dOfdoc "Battle of the Heroes"]] is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37TkOu-unz0 endlessly compelling]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eYZJxMDKXE "Anakin's Dark Deeds"]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_hiqtOGh64 "The City in the Clouds"]]. Less bombastic, but utterly magnificent.
* The tragically underused "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXwju2UXio Luke and Leia]]" in ''Return of the Jedi'', which may very well be the best music in the entire saga.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9K3RepZ__I The Battle of Hoth]] is almost 15 minutes of sheer awesome. Highlights include ''the'' anthem for HumongousMecha (part 1, 4:02-7:40), some preposterously heroic music when Luke pwns the AT-AT with the grenade (part 2, 2:45-3:40), and what can only be described as a gleefully malicious version of the Imperial March (3:40-4:10). Good times.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir_IbkUVQbo The friggin' Asteroid Field]]. Never tell me the odds.
* The first half of the track [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MJzvyzbqGI "The Final Duel/Into the Death Star"]], the part of the film when Luke snaps and goes all-out against his father. The mournful [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrFjtxyvT0E male vocals]] combined with the tragic strings nearly make the music a {{tearjerker}} without any context whatsoever. The tune was tweaked into the song for the opening screen of KnightsOfTheOldRepublic.
* The ''very'' avant-garde [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCFqSGhh0Js "Chase Through Coruscant"]] from Episode II. It's like a nightly news theme [[ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs on speed]], combined with ''[[ThePowerOfRock electric guitar]]'' and percussion that can be charitably described as ''insane''.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7hj6qP167k "Augie's Great Municipal Band"]], the celebratory music from the end of ''ThePhantomMenace''. More so when you realize that the vocals have the exact same melody as those in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6W6Agqujpw the Emperor's]] [[{{Leitmotif}} theme]], just in a major key, faster, and sung by laughing children... which leads us to mention "The Emperor's Theme", the perfect conveyance of the deep, dark evil that is [[BigBad the Emperor]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpj1DYK4fCs "Into the Trap"]]. That repeating motif when Lando, Wedge, and the other group leaders check in '''perfectly''' captures the determination of the Rebellion at that moment.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHQrcyerVQQ "The Battle of Yavin"]]. Swirly, LockAndLoadMontage style strings at the beginning, total non-stop badassery for the rest of the track. ''Then'' there's the ending. Only JohnWilliams can pack so much {{HSQ}} into so small a time.
* Say what you want about the prequel trilogy, Episodes II and III have brilliant ending themes. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlqfSbb27Q Episode II has the first prolific use of the Imperial March]] as a major foreshadowing, dovetailing into an awesome rendition of "Across the Stars". [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pMfwcIx8KU Episode III]] has three minutes of no dialogue which lets John Williams flex his arms like he wants to, cycling from Padme's funeral theme to Leia's theme, then to a small snippet of Harry Potter-esque music before launching into the Force Theme over a binary sunset to create one of the most awesome bookends ever. No mention of the ending theme is complete without the extended end credits on the soundtrack, which includes an amazingly bittersweet rendition of the Throne Room theme from ''A New Hope'' that perfectly captures the mix of despair and hope that the end of the movie conveyed.
* The chilling and sad [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=letZnkZG5Vo "Anakin's Betrayal"]]. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eim3Fnvpays "The Immolation Scene"]] was another amazing, tear-inducing piece of music. "YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!!!" The ''Revenge of the Sith'' soundtrack was basically one whole emotionally charged Crowning Score of Awesome. The opening credits where Anakin and Obi-Wan are flying together as friends and triumphant heroes, Grevious's choral theme, the eerie, guttural music playing during the Mon Calamari ballet as Palpatine begins to ensnare Anakin with whispers of the power of the Dark Side...all wonderful.
* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdoHAHKcNyc That's no moon...]]" Especially brilliant since it's the DarkestHour of ''A New Hope'', and Williams could have scored it with something soul-crushingly hopeless. Instead, we hear an incredibly rousing version of the Rebel Fanfare to remind us that our heroes aren't licked yet...
** The main theme threaded throughout that cue isn't the Rebel Fanfare, it's the Imperial Motif. (Not the later and more famous "Darth Vader's Theme" Imperial March, which Williams didn't compose until ''Empire''.)
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqs4M3G1SpA "TIE Fighter Attack"]], aka "Here They Come!" It ''earns'' that exclamation mark.
* During the Death Star battle score for ''A New Hope'', it's noticeable that the music changes from scary/foreboding to confident/heroic at the exact moment Luke turns off his targeting computer and trusts the Force. ''That's'' the turning point of the movie and the music (literally) underscores it.
* In one early interview, George Lucas said he had ''very'' high expectations when he made ''Star Wars'' in the mid-1970s. The only thing that exceeded his expectations was the music.
* ''Jedi'' has all the best themes of the original trilogy, such as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iMT-2Fze-A "Leia's News/Light of the Force"]]. Starts off with Luke and Leia's theme, rolls into the love theme, and then the EPIC force theme at the cremation. But pretty much the whole of the second half of ''Jedi'' has awesome music.
* Afterwards [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II04E2GEJG8 "Victory Celebration"]] is just...amazing. People often call it the only good change made in the Special Editions.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsm0wKZFZ3c Flag Parade]], the music that plays when Anakin gets ready for his first podrace, is a fantastic, bombastic march. No wonder the ''Battlefront'' games used an extended version of it for when the player gets [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Zjf8s36hI General Greivous.]]
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMOhsvhF4Jw "Cantina Band", aka "Mad About Me"]], anyone?
* Not one of the flashiest themes, but the Jawa Theme was otherworldly.
* "Destruction of Alderaan".
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrXA-YMJs54 "The Tractor Beam/Chasm Crossfire"]], but especially the second part. Starts out with some cool spooky music, then eventually translates into an amazingly uplifting version of the main fanfare, intermingled with Leia's theme and some other great stuff. Combined with the bottomless pit, aka the "I think we took a wrong turn" scene, it's just pure awesome.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYAOJB2P8ec The music that plays]] as the newly-christened Darth Vader marches on the Jedi Temple. Sadly, it is absent from the soundtrack (although the theme appears in part in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAps9RWNSs8 "Love Pledge and the Arena"]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS9lb-XIFTY "The Battle of Coruscant"]] at the beginning of Episode III! Just Epic!
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1T9-wxjm0U "Padmé's Ruminations"]] where Padmé looks across Coruscant at the Jedi Temple from her apartment and Anakin in the Temple seems to look back. Featuring the only use of the OneWomanWail in ''Star Wars'' music.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnQCSGsGwr8#t=2m50s "The Clash of Lightsabers"]], where the crew escapes to the Falcon in ''Empire''.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxezTlYuZuk "The Rebel Fleet/End Titles"]]. For a film that ends on quite a downer, the beginning of this piece focuses purely on the hope for the future with a stirring rendition of the "Han Solo and the Princess" theme which ascends into the standard End Titles music. Cutting this theme a bit shorter than the other films, it segues into reprises of "Yoda's Theme" and "The Imperial March" that are anything but unnecessary repetition. After that, the most soaring rendition of "Han Solo and the Princess" builds and builds until we are presented with what is possibly the greatest climax to a score in film history.
* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbQ0SRAn8Q The Throne Room]]" ending theme from ''A New Hope''. You will rarely find another closing score that embodies pure triumph and happiness (and of course the cute fluttery riff from the main theme when [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments we find out R2's okay after all]]). Another theme plucked in its entirety by ''Family Guy'' (before their own parody trilogy in fact).
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arb6qCnhGtY "The Racer Roars to Life"]]. A brief, but brilliant cue during the [[{{Narm}} IT'S WORKING! IT'S WORKINGGGGGG!!!!!]] scene in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''.
* From ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' we have [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65As1V0vQDM "Rey's Theme"]], which is pretty much an instant classic.
* ''The Force Awakens''[='=] main title theme is a joy to hear after ten years, the second part [[http://youtu.be/y8ac1Qg-r-8?t=1m24s "The Attack on the Jakku Village"]] prepares you for yet another adventure in a galaxy far, far away. It is atmospheric and tense at the beginning and it builds up to the crescendo when [[spoiler: Poe Dameron is captured by Kylo Ren's troops]].
* Also from ''The Force Awakens'' we have [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqKtype7Kk "March of the Resistance"]] which is the ThemeSongPowerUp for the Resistance during an aerial battle at the film's midpoint, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJzuanMUuS4 "Scherzo for X-Wings"]] which plays over the film's climactic dogfight and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itzm8-kcOAg "Farewell and The Trip"]] which plays during the denouement and it really conveys the feeling that the darkness has passed and that good has triumphed once more [[spoiler: although at a great cost]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUBUlKgsNK8 "The Jedi Steps and Finale"]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwNpmpBC-t0 "Torn Apart"]]. Captures well Kylo Ren's dilemma, [[spoiler:patricide, and Chewbacca's grief and rage]].
[[/folder]]

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ImPGu0VO_g "The Raiders' March"]], a theme that has become synonymous with adventure itself. Indeed, if [[Franchise/IndianaJones adventure has a name]]...
** Other great tracks from ''Raiders'' are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhpI87rKJXY "The Map Room: Dawn"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64si_NqMEng "Desert Chase"]], and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XERy6CuEou0 "The Miracle of the Ark"]].
** The absolutely awesome [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex93xpXdjbE "Slave Children's Crusade"]] in ''Temple of Doom''.
*** And also "The Mine Car Chase," with a special shout-out to the flutes (yes, that's right, a badass action cue with ''flutes'').
** And from ''Last Crusade'', [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQIjCI6Eji0 "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra"]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXh_tZCkVVo "The Keeper of the Grail"]] (the first 90 seconds).
*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8sxMFoPGsM "Indy's Very First Adventure"]].
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fof_BJ8Jwdo "Irina's Theme"]] from ''Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AvLT82a6Q "Man Against Beast"]] combines dramatic suspense with an exciting and adventurous tone.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NljMY8zkjrs "The Great Shark Chase"]] combines dramatic suspense with an exciting and adventurous tone.

** Turned UpToEleven with the pants-wettingly terrifying [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJB9O6YvbxM "The Emperor Arrives"]].

* The tragically underused "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXwju2UXio Luke and Leia]]" in ''Return of the Jedi'', which may very well be the best music in the entire saga.

* The tragically underused "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z52K7iVvh08 Luke and Leia]]" in ''Return of the Jedi'', which may very well be the best music in the entire saga.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwNpmpBC-t0 "Torn Apart"]]. Captures well Ben Solo alias Kylo Ren's dilemma, [[spoiler:parricide, and Chewbacca's grief and rage]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwNpmpBC-t0&list=PLWKXJQUwVcfexiFdxZDrFGCx7RGbsuQUV "Torn Apart"]]. Captures well [[Ben Solo alias]] Kylo Ren's dilemma, [[spoiler:parricide, and Chewbacca's grief and rage]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9K3RepZ__I The Battle of Hoth]] is almost 15 minutes of sheer awesome. Highlights include ''the'' anthem for HumongousMecha (part 1, 4:02-7:40), some preposterously heroic music when Luke pwns the AT-AT with the grenade (part 2, 2:45-3:40), and what can only be described as a gleefully malicious version of the Imperial March (3:40-4:10). Good times.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7hj6qP167k "Augie's Great Municipal Band"]], the celebratory music from the end of ''ThePhantomMenace''. More so when you realize that the vocals have the exact same melody as those in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6W6Agqujpw the Emperor's]] [[{{Leitmotif}} theme]], just in a major key, faster, and sung by laughing children.
** ... which leads us to mention "The Emperor's Theme", the perfect conveyance of the deep, dark evil that is [[BigBad the Emperor]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpj1DYK4fCs "Into the Trap"]].
** That repeating motif when Lando, Wedge, and the other group leaders check in '''perfectly''' captures the determination of the Rebellion at that moment.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHQrcyerVQQ "The Battle of Yavin"]]. Swirly, LockAndLoadMontage style strings at the beginning, total non-stop badassery for the rest of the track. ''Then'' there's the ending. Only JohnWilliams can pack so much {{HSQ}} into so small a time.
* Say what you want about the prequel trilogy, Episodes II and III have brilliant ending themes. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlqfSbb27Q Episode II has the first prolific use of the Imperial March]] as a major foreshadowing, dovetailing into an awesome rendition of "Across the Stars". [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pMfwcIx8KU Episode III]] has three minutes of no dialogue which lets John Williams flex his arms like he wants to, cycling from Padme's funeral theme to Leia's theme, then to a small snippet of Harry Potter-esque music before launching into the Force Theme over a binary sunset to create one of the most awesome bookends ever.
** No mention of the ending theme is complete without the extended end credits on the soundtrack, which includes an amazingly bittersweet rendition of the Throne Room theme from ''A New Hope'' that perfectly captures the mix of despair and hope that the end of the movie conveyed.
* The chilling and sad [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=letZnkZG5Vo "Anakin's Betrayal"]]. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eim3Fnvpays "The Immolation Scene"]] was another amazing, tear-inducing piece of music. YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!!!
** The ''Revenge of the Sith'' soundtrack was basically one whole emotionally charged Crowning Score of Awesome. The opening credits where Anakin and Obi-Wan are flying together as friends and triumphant heroes, Grevious's choral theme, the eerie, guttural music playing during the Mon Calamari ballet as Palpatine begins to ensnare Anakin with whispers of the power of the Dark Side...all wonderful.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEEOcqbeclg "The Battle of Yavin"]]. Swirly, LockAndLoadMontage style strings at the beginning, total non-stop badassery for the rest of the track. ''Then'' there's the ending. Only JohnWilliams can pack so much {{HSQ}} into so small a time.

* "The Battle of Hoth" ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9K3RepZ__I here]]) is almost 15 minutes of sheer awesome. Highlights include ''the'' anthem for HumongousMecha (part 1, 4:02-7:40), some preposterously heroic music when Luke pwns the AT-AT with the grenade (part 2, 2:45-3:40), and what can only be described as a gleefully malicious version of the Imperial March (3:40-4:10). Good times.

* "The Battle of Hoth" ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iFBXHKoH0U part 1]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KJdfbgHOg part 2]]) is almost 15 minutes of sheer awesome. Highlights include ''the'' anthem for HumongousMecha (part 1, 4:02-7:40), some preposterously heroic music when Luke pwns the AT-AT with the grenade (part 2, 2:45-3:40), and what can only be described as a gleefully malicious version of the Imperial March (3:40-4:10). Good times.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcZ9kQ1h-ZY The main theme, aka Luke's Theme]].

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTHlP59pI2c The main theme, aka Luke's Theme]].

* ''The Force Awakens'' main title theme is likewise a joy to hear after ten years, the second part [[https://youtu.be/y8ac1Qg-r-8?t=1m24s ''The Attack on the Jakku Village'']] prepares you for yet another adventure in a galaxy far, far away. It is atmospheric and tense at the beginning and it builds up to the crescendo when [[spoiler: Poe Dameron is captured by Kylo Ren's troops]].
* Also from ''The Force Awakens'' we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqKtype7Kk "March of the Resistance"]] which is the ThemeSongPowerUp for the Resistance during an areal battle at the film's midpoint, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJzuanMUuS4 "Scherzo for X-Wings"]] which plays over the film's climactic dogfight and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itzm8-kcOAg "Farewell and The Trip"]] which plays during the denouement and it really conveys the feeling that the darkness has passed and that good has triumphed once more [[spoiler: although at a great cost]].
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUBUlKgsNK8 "The Jedi Steps and Finale"]].

* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arb6qCnhGtY The Racer Roars to Life]]". A brief, but brilliant cue during the [[{{Narm}} IT'S WORKING! IT'S WORKINGGGGGG!!!!!]] scene in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''.
* From ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' we have [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65As1V0vQDM Rey's Theme]], which is pretty much an instant classic.

* From ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65As1V0vQDM Rey's Theme]], which is pretty much an instant classic.

** See also [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3kNRyh_rj8 "Summon the Heroes"]] from the '96 Games. In fact, the whole soundtrack to those games is a collection of CrowningMusicofAwesome.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaWyOylQnI4 "Call of the Champions"]] from the 2002 Winter Games also deserves a mention.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaWyOylQnI4 "Call of the Champions" from the 2002 Winter Games also deserves a mention.]]

* Heck, even his theme for the ''NBC Nightly News'' is epic. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqwhF6vcylg Here]] is ''The Mission'' in its entirety.

* "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbQ0SRAn8Q The Throne Room]]" ending theme from ''A New Hope''. You will rarely find another closing score that embodies pure triumph and happiness (and of course the cute fluttery riff from the main theme when [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments we find out R2's okay after all]]). Another theme plucked in it's entirety by ''Family Guy'' (before their own parody trilogy in fact).