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Star Wars is the ultimate film franchise, with unforgettable characters, awe-inspiring set pieces and absolutely epic soundtracks. Naturally, we’re here to explore the latter. Welcome to our article about the best Star Wars music.
Its soundtracks have been setting standards since 1977 when Star Wars (now known as Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV) was released. But which film has the best soundtrack? And what are the best Star Wars songs? Journey with us into a galaxy far, far away to discover the answers.
Before you make the jump into hyperspace, allow us to introduce ourselves. We, Audio Network, are a premium production music catalogue and we can provide all the music you need for your media projects. Whether you’re making a film, TV show, podcast, advertisement or something else, we’ve got you covered. Start by exploring our playlists page.
Ranked: The Star Wars Music
1. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
Composed by: John Williams
The second instalment in the prequel trilogy, Attack of the Clones focuses on the adventures of 35-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi and the teenage Anakin Skywalker as they attempt to stop the evil Sith.
By no means is the soundtrack to Attack of the Clones bad, it’s just the most forgettable soundtrack in the franchise so far (it doesn’t help that the film is one of the lowest-rated Star Wars films ever created).
This film focuses on a young Han Solo, treating audiences to the story of the rugged rebel pre-New Hope.Solo. It’s s a unique entry in the Star Wars universe; humorous and grounded, it swaps sci-fi vibes for a space Western feel.
The film may be light years away from the Skywalker Saga, but the soundtrack will be familiar to fans. Composed by English composer John Powell in collaboration with John Williams, the two created a collection of scene-stealing songs that add an extra element of excitement to the film. Unarguably, the best song is ‘Enfys Nest Theme’, which plays during the standout train sequence.
‘Enfys Nest Theme’
3. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) (1983)
Composer: John Williams
Return of the Jedi was the highly anticipated final chapter of the original Star Wars trilogy that centred on Luke Skywalker and the rebel battle against the Galactic Empire. As you may or may not know (actually, come on, you must know), he does this while coming to terms with the revelation that the villainous Darth Vader is his father.
As you can imagine, Return of the Jedi is paired with an emotionally stirring soundtrack. The album is filled with poignant compositions that are now considered classics – of course, this includes the impassioned ‘Luke and Leia’ track.
‘Luke and Leia’
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) (2017)
Composer: John Williams
Rian Johnson’s Star Wars – Episode VIII: The Last Jedi was a breath of fresh air: it modernised the franchise in all the right ways and was a hit with avid fans and casual filmgoers alike. It follows the journey of a range of old and new characters (including Rey, Finn, Poe, Luke Skywalker and General Leia Organa) as they rebel against the nefarious First Order.
Following on from his work on The Force Awakens, John Williams took things in a new direction with this second instalment of the sequel trilogy. The most rousing track, ‘Holdo’s Sacrifice’, plays during what is arguably the film’s most intense scene.
‘Holdo’s Sacrifice’
5. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Episode IX) (2019)
Composer: John Williams
The final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, which follows Rey’s journey to finding herself, defeating Kylo Ren and guiding the rebels to victory – is not to everyone’s liking. In fact, it’s the lowest-rated Star Wars film ever. But one thing that everyone can agree on is that the soundtrack is impressive.
Just like the film, the soundtrack is filled with big moments. There’s ‘Anthem of Evil’, a haunting piece with a ghostly lead vocal; ‘Destiny of a Jedi’, a multilayered study of the complex relationship between a Jedi and the force; the brilliantly nostalgic-sounding ‘The Old Death Star’; and our favourite, ‘Finale’, which succinctly wraps up the Skywalker Saga.
‘Finale’
Your Time to Shine
Hoping to create the next big Hollywood film franchise? Increase your chances of winning an Oscar by having high-quality production music on your side.
Our ever-expanding catalogue is brimming with thousands of tracks which you can discover by exploring our film style categories. From adventure to animation to vintage to detective, we have you covered, no matter what genre you’re working with.
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At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Movie composers rarely receive the praise that they deserve –but think about it, what’s a film without a great soundtrack? So, we think it’s about time to celebrate the best movie composers in the world.
From Danny Elfman to Ennio Morricone, we’ll shine a light on the greatest film composers ever with examples of their brilliant work – we know, we’re too kind.
We’ll also call attention to some of the amazing composers you can find in our catalogue.
Movie Soundtrack Composers
1. Rachel Portman OBE
English composer Rachel Portman started composing at a young age and began writing music for the likes of BBC and Jim Henson soon after finishing college. She hit a major high in the 1990s when she was hired to soundtrack Jane Austen’s Emma (1996), starring actress-of-the-moment, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Portman’s Oscar-winning soundtrack for the film is every bit as whimsical and fanciful as its eponymous character, full of musical nuances which beautifully reflect the early 19th-century setting of the period.
Take a moment to listen to the music in this clip:
2. Maurice Jarre
French composer Maurice Jarre was such an industry icon he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The three-time Academy Award winner is famed for composing all the scores to David Lean’s classic films – including Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – as well as cult classics Fatal Attraction (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989) and Ghost (1990).
To us, Ghost is the pinnacle of Jarre’s career, with his momentous soundtrack perfectly mirroring the narrative. One of the best examples is ‘Molly’, which plays when the protagonist (Demi Moore) finally believes her deceased boyfriend, Sam, is communicating with her from the spirit world.
Remind yourself of this iconic scene with the video below; if you enjoy the music, be sure to check out our Love playlist.
3. Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri may not be a household name, but you’re almost certain to have watched at least one of the films he’s composed for. The American composer and conductor soundtracked his first film at 21 – a low-budget action movie titled The Doberman Gang (1972) – and he’s been making a name for himself ever since.
At 71, he can reflect on a successful career that’s seen him create music for cinematic belters such as Forrest Gump (1994), the Back to the Future trilogy and four MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films – including Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Silvestri’s input in the most epic Marvel moment ever in the video below. If this isn’t all you need to convince you he’s one of the greatest film composers ever, we’re not sure what is.
4. John Barry OBE
John Barry Prendergast OBE, aka John Barry, is the British composer best known for his work on the James Bond films. He arranged the emblematic James Bond Theme and composed the score for eleven Bond films from the 60s to the 80s.
Born in York, Barry began his musical journey when he took up the trumpet during National Service with the British Army in Cyprus. On his return in 1957 he set up the John Barry Seven – a rock ’n’roll band that was active for eight years. By the early 1960s, he was being hired to compose music for a range of different projects.
Hear an example of his work below from Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
5. John Williams
The legendary New York-born musician can bring any story to life with soundtracks that immerse the viewer in the world of the silver screen. Deservingly, Williams has won 25 Grammy Awards, 7 BAFTAs, 5 Academy Awards and 4 Golden Globe Awards – making him the second most-nominated individual ever. Who’s the first? Walt Disney, obviously.
John Williams is a one-man soundtrack industry, responsible for most of your favourite movie theme songs, including the entire Star Wars saga, the first three Harry Potter films, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jaws, and the entire Indiana Jones franchise. As you might have guessed, he’s quite pally with director Steven Spielberg.
Relive your youth with the most iconic scene from Jurassic Park below.
6. Joe Hisaishi
Japanese film composer Mamoru Fujisawa – better known as Joe Hisaishi – has worked on a multitude of film scores, including all but one of Hayao Miyazaki’s anime films. Who? The co-founder of Studio Ghibli, of course.
Hisashi and Miyazaki became great friends in the early 80s when the composer was recommended to work on the animator’s second film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984).
What’s the best soundtrack Joe Hisaishi has created? In our opinion, it’s Spirited Away (2001). And the most memorable song has got to be ‘One Summer’s Day’: a magical piano-led track that transports the listener straight to the heart of Miyazaki’s offbeat world.
Listen to discover why Joe Hisashi is one of the greatest film composers below, before exploring our Emotive Piano playlist.
7. AR Rahman
Allahrakha Rahman – known as AR Rahman – is an Indian film composer best known for his work on Tamil and Hindi films. He is the winner of two Academy Awards, two Grammys, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and more.
Born in Madras, Rahman started by composing soundtracks for Indian television channels and ad jingles. In 1992, director Mani Ratnam approached him about composing the score for his new film, Roja. From here, he worked his way up.
In the West, Rahman is best known for composing the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. He famously sketched the score in two months and created it in 20 days.
Watch one of the most emotional scenes of the film, set to AR Rahman’s music, below:
8. Ennio Morricone
Italian composer Ennio Morricone composed an almighty total of over 400 scores for film and television productions during his 91 years, including the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015), Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso (1988) and Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars (1964).
Displaying a Mozartian level of precociousness, the Italian musician wrote his first piece when he was just six. By 1954, he was ghostwriting for some of the most prestigious composers of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Watch this clip of Clint Eastwood as Man with No Name in Spaghetti Western A Fistful of Dollars and listen closely to Morricone’s atmospheric music.
9. James Horner
The great American composer James Horner worked with lots of different directors throughout his life; but he’ll be forever remembered for his work on James Cameron’s Aliens, (1986) Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009).
The two met while working on Murakami’s Battle Beyond the Stars (1980); 17 years later they both won an Oscar for Titanic. 12 years after this, the two were being celebrated for their work on the highest-grossing film of all time, Avatar.
Transport yourself to the extraterrestrial world of Pandora with the clip below, and be sure to pay attention to Horner’s supreme soundtrack.
10. Bernard Herrmann
American composer Bernard Herrmann worked closely with cinematic deity Alfred Hitchcock.
Born to middle-class, Jewish-Russian parents in New York City, Herrmann attended school in The Bronx. He studied music at New York University and The Juilliard School, forming the New Chamber Orchestra of New York at the latter. He then wrote the score for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941).
During the 1950s, he was recruited by Hitchcock to produce the soundtrack for The Trouble with Harry; this led to them collaborating on six other films – one of these being Psycho (1960).
We couldn’t find any excuse not to watch that scene from the 1960 psychological horror-thriller. Inspired? Take a moment to explore our Thriller playlist.
11. Danny Elfman
American composer Danny Elfman is the man behind the most extraordinary soundtracks in film and has worked on most of Tim Burton’s films.
Elfman was a singer in new-wave band Oingo Boingo during the 1980s. After Tim Burton and Paul Reubens watched him perform live, they asked him to create the score for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985). This led to a full-time career in the film industry (he even provided the singing voice for Jake Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
We love the soundtrack to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010); the musical intensity of Elfman’s violent strings as Helena Bonham Carter’s Queen of Hearts interrogates her frog footmen are one of his finest moments…
12. Ludwig Göransson
If there’s one film composer who should be on your radar right now, it’s Ludwig Göransson. The Swede has produced some of the most noteworthy soundtracks of the past few years, picking up a slew of awards along the way, including an Oscar for Best Original Score.
He loved music from childhood and studied film and TV composition in Los Angeles, where he befriended director Ryan Coogler, who hired him in 2013 to soundtrack his first feature, Fruitvale Station (2013). From here, Göransson became the industry’s new music It-guy and was hired for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (2020), Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian (2019 –) and, of course, Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther (2018), for which he won his Oscar. Coincidentally (or perhaps not?), he was named after Ludwig van Beethoven…
Check out a clip of Black Panther below and listen out for Göransson’s soundtrack, inspired by traditional music from South and West Africa (and you might also enjoy our African playlist).
13. Max Steiner
As one of the first film composers in Hollywood, Max Steiner set the guidelines which film composers follow to this day.
Born in Austria in 1888, Steiner was a precarious child who conducted his first operetta at the age of 12. After moving to England to conduct theatre productions, he moved to New York City to work on Broadway and then to Hollywood to work in film. His first score was for the Western Cimarron (1931).
He went on to compose over 300 film scores, many of which are still celebrated today. He also won a fistful of awards, including the very first Golden Globe for Best Original Score. But our favourite Steiner moment has got to be the ‘Here’s Looking at You, Kid’ scene from Casablanca (1942).
14. Michael Giacchino
American composer Michael Giacchino has had a seriously impressive career so far, but the best may be yet to come: he just keeps getting better and better.
Born in New Jersey, Giacchino graduated from the School of Visual Arts in NYC, took music classes at Julliard School and UCLA and completed a six-month Universal Pictures internship before he was hired by Universal. Shortly after, he was nabbed by Disney.
Giacchino has created soundtracks for seven Disney Pixar films, including Ratatouille (2007), The Incredibles (2004) and Coco (2017). But the standout soundtrack has got to be his score for 2009’s Up – one of our favourite soundtracks ever.
15. Hans Zimmer
Multi-award winning German composer Hans Zimmer is a modern-day legend. He’s created music for a roll-call of contemporary classics including The Lion King (1994), The Dark Knight (2008), Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). He was named one of the Top 100 Living Geniuses by The Daily Telegraph back in 2007.
The Frankfurt-born talent has always been passionate about music – he started to play piano at a young age and pursued a career as a film composer after being inspired by the work of Ennio Morricone in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).
Remind yourself of Hans Zimmer’s work for Christopher Nolan’s gritty superhero flick The Dark Knight below, and be make sure to check out our Superheroes playlist.
Audio Network Composers
Our online music catalogue contains over 175,000 high-quality music tracks ready to be licenced and used in any production – whether it’s a film, TV show or something completely different.
Audio Network collaborates with some of the most talented composers in the world to secure the best production music. Head over to our Artists and Composers page where you can explore the work of our talents, including Mark Petrie, whose singular knack for a great hook has seen him compose for film trailers such as Guardians of the Galaxy, or double Grammy-award winner, percussionist extraordinaire Dame Evelyn Glennie.
Emmy-nominated Sunna Wehrmeijer’s film credits include Maleficent and Prometheus, while top session guitarist Adam Drake also composes for film. Debbie Wiseman has over 200 film and TV credits to her name and been nominated for a Grammy and two Ivor Novello awards, while Joji Hirota’s mastery of percussion and traditional Japanese music are the trademarks of his catalogue. Film and TV composer Noah Sorota has worked with Hans Zimmer and Steven Spielberg – and was also a featured violinist on Game of Thrones!
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
What are the most played songs in movies and the best selling movie soundtrack? From Grease Lightning to the Circle of Life, many of the world’s most famous songs originate from films, so it’s not surprising that some of the most profitable albums in history are movie soundtracks.
Here, we take you on a musical trip as we round up the bestselling movie soundtracks of all time. We’ll journey across a range of film genres and highlight some of our production genre playlists (in case you’re working on a creative project that we can help out with). Ready to enjoy the ride? Great. Let’s get stuck in!
The Best Selling Movie Soundtracks
The Bodyguard (1992)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Titanic (1997)
Grease (1978)
Aashiqui (1990)
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Purple Rain (1984)
Flashdance (1983)
Bombay (1995)
The Lion King (1994)
Best Selling Movie Soundtracks 10-5
10. The Lion King (1994)
Copies Sold: 15 million
Which Disney movie has the bestselling soundtrack? The Lion King, of course. Inspired by the bible and Shakespeare, The Lion King is Disney’s animated masterpiece. From start to finish the film is emotional, exciting and entertaining.
And the same goes for its soundtrack. The Lion King is composed by the legendary Hans Zimmer and also features songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, including ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’. All of these songs feature Southern African musical elements that help tie the soundtrack to the landscape depicted in the film.
9. Bombay (1995)
Copies Sold: 15 million
The ninth best-selling soundtrack of all time is from Tamil Cinema classic Bombay. The romantic drama film is set in the early 90s and focuses on an inter-religious family coming to terms with the growing tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Bombay (now known as Mumbai).
The Bombay soundtrack was produced by multifaceted talent AR Rahman; the lyrics to the original Tamil version of the film were written by Vairamuthu and Vaali; the lyrics for the Hindi and Telugu versions of the film were written by Veturi Sundararama Murthy and Mehboob. The collection of songs they created continue to inspire South Asian cinema.
The most powerful song is ‘Tu Hi Re’ which amplifies the complexities of forbidden love. You can listen to it above.
8. Flashdance (1983)
Copies Sold: 20 million
Flashdance is one of the most memorable dance flicks in film history, and the soundtrack is just as unforgettable. Funnily, the film wasn’t projected to do as well as it did, so the soundtrack was stocked in limited qualities; after a few days, it sold out.
It’s filled with the vigour of 80s adolescence, especially in Michael Sembello’s ‘Maniac’, Shandi’s ‘He's A Dream’, and standout track, Cara’s ‘Flashdance...What a Feeling’. Feeling nostalgic? Relive your youth by watching the memorable final dance scene, above.
7. Purple Rain (1984)
Copies Sold: 20 million
Prince’s film Purple Rain has arguably equal billing with its dynamic soundtrack, which also doubled as his sixth studio album. The music drives the narrative of the rock musical in ways that are so impressive it won the Oscar for Best Original Score.
Alongside the groundbreaking power ballad ‘Purple Rain’, the soundtrack features some of the most significant hits in Prince’s discography – including ‘When Doves Cry’, ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ and ‘I Would Die 4 U’. Seriously impressive.
6. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Copies Sold: 20 million
If you include pirate copies, it is estimated that the soundtrack to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – a Hindi-language romance film directed by Aditya Chopra – has sold around 100 million units. But for the purpose of this article, we will stick with the official number of 20 million copies – which is still super impressive.
The narrative focuses on two Indian Londoners who fall in love on a European trip, but the music is unmistakably Indian. Every song on the soundtrack is big, bright and colourful, and perfectly captures the thrill of young love.
5. Aashiqui (1990)
Copies Sold: 20 million
You may not have heard of the Indian romantic musical Aashiqui but you probably have heard tracks from the Aashiqui soundtrack.
Composed by creative duo Nadeem–Shravan, one reason the Aashiqui is the bestselling Bollywood soundtrack of all time is because it’s just as key to the storytelling as the visuals. And what’s the story? It focuses on an aspiring singer whose girlfriend becomes a successful model.
Our favourite song on the Aashiqui soundtrack is ‘Jaan-E-Jigar Jaaneman’, an intrinsically South Asian song that’s immensely hypnotic. Watch and listen above.
Top 5 Bestselling Movie Soundtracks
4. Grease (1978)
Copies Sold: 28 million
Which film has the best soundtrack? Well, it’s got to be Grease because there’s something for everyone.
Fan of an emotive ballad? Stick on ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’. Feeling catty? Put ‘Look at Me, I’m Sandra ’ on repeat. Want to duet with your lover? Ask Alexa (or Siri, or Google) to play the number 1 hit, ‘You’re the One That I Want’. If only contemporary albums were so dynamic…
What you might not know is that most of the songs on the Grease album originate from the original 1971 rock ’n’ roll musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren. This includes ‘Greased Lightning’, ‘We Go Together’ and our favourite, ‘Beauty School Dropout’ (one of our favourite guilty pleasures).
3. Titanic (1997)
Copies Sold: 30 million
The Titanic was a sinking ship, but James Cameron’s epic blockbuster certainly wasn’t, as the 90s film continues to attract audiences to this day. In fact, the film has proven so popular since its release, it ranks third in the highest-grossing films of all time (currently sitting around $2.195 billion) and its soundtrack ranks fourth in the bestselling soundtracks of all time.
And while James Horner’s orchestral compositions are nothing short of sublime, we bet our bottom dollar that most of the 30 million sales are thanks to Celine Dion’s magnificent, award-winning vocals. ‘My Heart Will Go On’ won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and also picked up four awards at the 1999 Grammys, and we totally understand why.
3. Dirty Dancing (1987)
Copies Sold: 32 million
The bestselling movie soundtrack in the UK ever is Dirty Dancing. But it wasn’t just the Brits that were enthralled by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s chemistry, it was the whole world.
The soundtrack brims with iconic hits, including ‘Be My Baby’ by The Ronettes, ‘Do You Love Me’ by The Contours and ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ by The Shirelles. But, the standout hit from the motion picture is one that was new to audiences at the time; it’s now credited as the theme tune for Dirty Dancing. It goes without saying we’re referring to Bill Medley and Jennifer Warner’s ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’.
2. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Copies Sold: 40 million
Saturday Night Fever is a quintessential 70s disco movie featuring the second best-selling soundtrack in film history. Fun fact: the album stayed at the top of the charts for 24 straight weeks back in 1978. Cool, right?
The film focuses on a young Italian-American man (played by John Travolta) and his passion for disco dancing, and features a soundtrack that is aptly filled with disco anthems – many of which come from funky British band the Bee Gees. We’re talking songs such as ‘Stayin’ Alive’, ‘Night Fever’ and ‘More than a Woman’. Interestingly, the band didn’t even get involved in the film until post production; while filming his scenes, John Travolta was actually dancing to the likes of Boz Scaggs and Stevie Wonder…!
1. The Bodyguard (1992)
Copies Sold: 45 million
What is the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time? It’s The Bodyguard soundtrack. Obviously.
The film, which grossed $411 million, features a soundtrack that’s sold over 45 million copies – a testament to the unparalleled star power of the late Whitney Houston.
Produced by Houston and Clive Davis, the soundtrack features some of the singer's most memorable hits, including ‘I Have Nothing’, ‘Run to You’ and, of course, her world-renowned rendition of Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’. Just thinking about it is inspiring us to run a bath, light a few candles and play it on repeat.
The Soundtrack to Your Next Project
So, there you have it: the best movie soundtracks of all time. We really hope you enjoyed these wonderful movie soundtracks!
What do they have in common? They all make an impact – whether that’s to encourage the audience to get up and dance or make them uncontrollably teary.
Want to create your own impactful soundtrack for an upcoming project? Say no more. Here at Audio Network we’ve got music of all types for every mood and emotion.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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