Jaws

Our list of the most memorable movie scores would not be complete without the Steven Spielberg thriller Jaws. The main theme for the film, that composer John Williams said was meant to represent the shark as an ‘unstoppable force’ of ‘mindless and instinctive attacks’, is as infamous as the film itself.

Jaws is a perfect example of a musical score transforming the appeal of the film, as even Spielberg himself has admitted that without Williams’ score the film would have been only half as successful. Those two alternating notes in the film’s main theme song are enough to instil fear into the most composed of adults. It is no wonder that the score earned Jaws an Academy Award for ‘Best Original Score’ in 1976.