John Williams Popular Song Rankings [2026]

The theme from JawsJohn Williams61rank/position

John Williams: Theme from Jaws (Boston Pops)

Another terrifying score by John Williams.

Unlike Darth Vader’s theme, it’s filled with the sense of the ocean’s gangster, Jaws, closing in.

It carries an atmosphere of something stealthily creeping up from somewhere.

As the sound grows louder, it feels like “Ah! I’m going to be eaten!”—music brimming with tension.

Across the StarsJohn Williams62rank/position

Across the Stars: Love Theme

The Japanese title is “Attack of the Clones: Love Theme.” It’s a sorrowful and grand symphony that evokes the forbidden love and fate of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.

Although the work divides opinion among fans, the theme song is a masterpiece.

Anakin’s ThemeJohn Williams63rank/position

Star Wars Episode 1 Soundtrack- Anakin’s Theme

This piece announces the start of a new Star Wars chapter: a trilogy with Anakin as the protagonist.

The music conveys the freshness and purity of Anakin as he first appears as a young boy, as well as the loneliness of losing his mother, evoking a sense of breadth and anticipation as the prologue to the story to come.

Ewok paradeJohn Williams64rank/position

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi – Ewok’s Theme (Parade of the Ewoks)

The four bars from 0:27 to 0:35 form the theme of this piece and appear repeatedly.

If you were to express the rhythm in Japanese onomatopoeia, it would be like “hakkeyoi” or “bacchikoi,” conveying the parade’s gallant spirit.

Then, the section from 0:44 to 1:01—what you could call the chorus—overflows with a major-key brightness that gives even those unfamiliar with the original work a positive impression, like “our allies have arrived!” or “the tide has turned!”

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Hirata Hiroyasu

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EdelweissJohn Williams65rank/position

Group recorder practice: “Edelweiss” with Do-Re-Mi (solfege) sheet music

This is a heartwarming piece from the film The Sound of Music, in which Captain von Trapp sings of his love for his homeland, Austria, inspired by the small white Edelweiss flower.

Its simple melody, written in a three-beat waltz, carries a gentle atmosphere reminiscent of Austrian folk songs.

Composed by Rodgers & Hammerstein in 1959, the 1965 film adaptation won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

With its calm tempo and gentle flow, it’s perfect for practicing slowly on the recorder.

Since it doesn’t go very high, it will sound beautiful if you relax your shoulders and breathe softly.

Please take your time to play this quiet, moving melody—filled with a prayer for one’s homeland—with care.