Sony Classical Releases John Williams Anthology Vol. 1 (1969–1990)

A major unveiling in the fall marks a milestone in the career of John Williams, one of cinema’s defining composers. Sony Classical will release The Anthology Vol. 1 1969-1990, a 22-disc collection that surveys the composer’s work from Star Wars to Jaws, E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark and beyond. The project is the first in a three-volume series that will span Williams’s full career, culminating in a 75-disc set. Vol. 1 is available now, with Vols. 2 (1991-2008) and 3 (2011-2022) to be released later this year, offering a comprehensive reexamination of a body of music that has shaped both film and concert hall experiences.

The anthology opens Williams’s most prolific decades, capturing him at the height of his collaboration with Steven Spielberg and his development of leitmotifs that remain instantly recognizable. In a foreword, Spielberg emphasizes the transformative power of Williams’s scores, noting that without his music, iconic moments—whether on the screen or in the imagination—would feel different. The collection also reflects the breadth of his work across genres and franchises, including not only blockbuster epics but also intimate or...