If there’s one thing Star Wars fans can agree on, it’s that the music is spectacular.
When I was in the thick of my Star Wars obsession as a teenager, I had cassettes of the soundtracks of all three original films. I’d pop them into my walkman (a primitive ipod, for you kiddies, lol) and listen to them as I took walks, or even as I fell asleep at night. I could relive the movies this way, in a time when it was harder to come by the movies once they were out of the theater. I knew every note, every theme, every scene each piece represented, and they were burned into my brain. I haven’t listened to the soundtracks in this way for decades, and the only other movies I did this with was The Lord of the Rings movies much later, in my thirties.
But I’ve never forgotten the joy that those soundtracks brought me.
John Williams is, of course, a legend in the Star Wars universe (among many other fandoms and films), and is considered a genius when it comes to scoring iconic movies. I’ve never done a post on the music of Star Wars; I’m not sure why. So I figured it was time. It’s hard to choose among all that glorious music, but I made the agonizing choices below as my five favorite themes (these are arranged chronologically by film release):
It’s interesting that as much as I loved the original score and had memorized every note, I only have one song from the OT here. That’s because, I think, the most iconic themes–the main title theme, The Imperial March, The Force, Binary Sunset, etc–are contained in them, and are no brainers as favorites.
Honestly, I love all the music, and this list could be different tomorrow, and again the next day, depending on my mood, lol. But some very close Honorable Mentions would include:
- Princess Leia Theme (ANH)
- Han Solo and The Princess (ESB)
- The Asteroid Field (ESB)
- Battle of the Heroes (ROTS)
- Kylo Ren’s Theme (TFA)
What are some of your favorite Star Wars themes? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
Star Wars and Other Obsessions 
Not sure I could narrow it all down to a top 5 but I think top 2 would be Duel of the Fates and Across the Stars
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Yeah, it’s all great, but I thought I’d try to narrow it down, lol. The prequel music is fantastic.
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As much as I love the classic John Williams stuff I am eager and happy when Star Wars tries something new. A few Star Wars Rebels tracks come to mind. Breaking Through the Blockade, Sabine’s Catharsis, and Temple Collapses. And from The Mandalorian, A Thousand Tears and A Friend.
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I’d thought about adding some other SW composers and shows, but decided to stick with just the films. But they are all wonderful. I especially like the Bad Batch music these days. And Mando is just so totally different, I love it.
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