Last Updated on 12 April 2026

I searched the Internet for lists of best John Williams film scores of all time. Criteria included the films being ranked, not just listed. The lists were generally created by groups, whether teams or committees or based on general public voting (like Ranker.com).

I was able to find 31 lists. I took the 31 lists and added all their content into a spreadsheet, noting the rank of every film. I averaged the rankings each film score got and divided that average by the number of lists it was on. The lowest score meant a high ranking average on many lists. The complete spreadsheet is attached at the bottom.

The theme songs that were on the most lists (out of 31) were:

  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – 29 lists
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – 29 lists
  • Superman (1978) – 29 lists
  • Jaws (1975) – 28 lists
  • Schindler’s List (1993) – 26 lists
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) – 26 lists
  • Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) – 25 lists
  • Jurassic Park (1993) – 24 lists
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) – 20 lists

Here are links to the lists I used along with dates the lists were created:

Best John Williams ScoresDownload

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