This is a list of awards and nominations received by the American composer John Williams.
John Williams has been nominated for 54 Academy Awards, winning 5; 6 Emmy Awards, winning 3; 26 Golden Globe Awards, winning 4; 76 Grammy Awards, winning 27; 16 British Academy Film Awards, winning 7; 23 Saturn Awards, winning 10. In 2022, Williams was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, "for services to film music".
With 54 Oscar nominations, Williams currently holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person, and is the second most nominated person in Academy Awards history behind Walt Disney with 59, as well as the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have received nominations in seven consecutive decades. Forty-eight of Williams's Oscar nominations are for Best Original Score and five are for Best Original Song. He won four Oscars for Best Original Score and one for Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score (Fiddler on the Roof).
Williams has won the Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Composition and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media several times for his scores for Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Munich, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Book Thief, The Force Awakens and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The competition includes composers of instrumental music of any genre.
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1968 Best Scoring of Music – Adaptation or Treatment Valley of the Dolls 1970 Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation Goodbye, Mr. Chips Best Original Score for a Motion Picture (Not a Musical) The Reivers 1972 Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score Fiddler on the Roof 1973 Best Original Dramatic Score Images The Poseidon Adventure 1974 Cinderella Liberty Best Song "Nice to Be Around" (from Cinderella Liberty) Best Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation or Scoring: Adaptation Tom Sawyer 1975 Best Original Dramatic Score The Towering Inferno 1976Best Original Score Jaws 1978 Star Wars Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1979 Superman 1981 The Empire Strikes Back 1982 Raiders of the Lost Ark 1983 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Best Original Song "If We Were in Love" (from Yes, Giorgio) 1984 Best Original Score Return of the Jedi 1985 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom The River 1988 Empire of the Sun The Witches of Eastwick 1989 The Accidental Tourist 1990 Born on the Fourth of July Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1991 Home Alone Best Original Song "Somewhere in My Memory" (from Home Alone) 1992 Best Original Score JFK Best Original Song "When You're Alone" (from Hook) 1994 Best Original Score Schindler's List 1996 Best Original Song "Moonlight" (from Sabrina) Best Original Musical or Comedy Score Sabrina Best Original Dramatic Score Nixon 1997 Sleepers 1998 Amistad 1999 Saving Private Ryan 2000 Best Original Score Angela's Ashes 2001 The Patriot 2002 A.I. Artificial Intelligence Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 2003 Catch Me If You Can 2005 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2006 Memoirs of a Geisha Munich 2012 The Adventures of Tintin War Horse 2013 Lincoln 2014 The Book Thief 2016 Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2018 Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2020 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2023 The Fabelmans 2024 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.British Academy Film Awards 1976 Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music Jaws and The Towering Inferno 1979 Star Wars Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1981 Best Original Film Music The Empire Strikes Back 1982 Raiders of the Lost Ark 1983Best Score for a Film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1989 Empire of the Sun 1994 Schindler's List 1999 Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music Saving Private Ryan 2003 Catch Me If You Can 2006 Memoirs of a Geisha 2012Best Original Music War Horse 2013 Lincoln 2014 The Book Thief 2016 Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2020 Best Original Score Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.Primetime Emmy Awards 1962 Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Alcoa Premiere 1963 Outstanding Achievement in Composing Original Music Alcoa Premiere 1969 Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition Heidi 1972 Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Jane Eyre 2002 Outstanding Music Direction The 74th Annual Academy Awards 2009 Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music Great Performances
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1973 Best Original Score – Motion Picture The Poseidon Adventure 1974 Cinderella Liberty 1975 Earthquake 1976 Jaws 1978 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope 1979 Superman 1981 Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back 1983 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Best Original Song – Motion Picture "If We Were in Love" (from Yes, Giorgio) 1985 Best Original Score – Motion Picture The River 1988 Empire of the Sun 1989 The Accidental Tourist 1990 Born on the Fourth of July 1994 Schindler's List 1996 Best Original Song – Motion Picture "Moonlight" (from Sabrina) 1998 Best Original Score – Motion Picture Seven Years in Tibet 1999 Saving Private Ryan 2000 Angela's Ashes 2002 A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2006 Memoirs of a Geisha 2012 War Horse 2013 Lincoln 2014 The Book Thief 2018 The Post 2023 The Fabelmans
Grammy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1962 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Checkmate 1976 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Jaws 1977 Best Instrumental Arrangement "The Disaster Movie Suite" 1978 Best Instrumental Composition "Star Wars (Main Title)" Best Pop Instrumental RecordingStar Wars Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Album of the Year 1979 Best Instrumental Composition "Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind" Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Close Encounters of the Third Kind Best Pop Instrumental Performance 1980 Best Instrumental Composition "Superman March" Best Pop Instrumental Performance Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Superman 1981 Best Pop Instrumental Performance "Yoda's Theme" Best Instrumental Composition "The Imperial March" The Empire Strikes Back Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 1982 Raiders of the Lost Ark 1983 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Best Pop Instrumental Performance Best Instrumental Composition "Adventures on Earth" "Flying Theme from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" Best Arrangement on an Instrumental Recording 1984 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Return of the Jedi 1985 Best Instrumental Composition "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" 1986 Best Recording for Children Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf 1988 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media The Witches of Eastwick 1989Empire of the Sun Best Instrumental Composition "The Olympic Spirit" 1990 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1991 Best Arrangement on an Instrumental Recording Born on the Fourth of July 1992 Best Pop Instrumental Performance John Williams Conducts John Williams: The Star Wars Trilogy Best Song Written for Visual Media "Somewhere in My Memory" (from Home Alone) 1993 Best Pop Instrumental Performance Hook Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 1994 Jurassic Park 1995 Schindler's List 1997 Best Song Written for Visual Media "Moonlight" (from Sabrina) 1998 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media The Lost World: Jurassic Park Seven Years in Tibet 1999 Saving Private Ryan Amistad Best Classical Crossover Album Gershwin Fantasy 2000 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Best Instrumental Arrangement "Stella by Starlight (from The Uninvited)" 2001 Best Instrumental Composition "Theme from Angela's Ashes" 2002 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2003 Best Instrumental Composition "Hedwig's Theme" Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 2004 Catch Me If You Can Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2005 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2006 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Best Instrumental Composition "Anakin's Betrayal" "The Ferry Scene" 2007 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Memoirs of a Geisha Munich Best Instrumental Composition "A Prayer for Peace" "Sayuri's Theme and End Credits" 2009 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Best Instrumental Composition "The Adventures of Mutt" 2013Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaThe Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn 2014 Lincoln 2015 Best Instrumental Composition "The Book Thief" 2017 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2018 Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella "Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra from Catch Me If You Can" 2019 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Star Wars: The Last Jedi Best Instrumental Composition "Mine Mission" 2020 "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite" Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella "Hedwig's Theme" 2021 Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2023 Best Orchestral Performance "The Berlin Concert" (John Williams, conductor, Berliner Philharmoniker) 2024Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media The Fabelmans Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Best Instrumental Composition "Helena's Theme", Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 2026Best Music Film Music by John Williams
Miscellaneous
Saturn Awards Year Category Nominated work Result1978Best MusicStar Wars Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1979Superman 1981The Empire Strikes Back 1982Raiders of the Lost Ark 1983E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1984Return of the Jedi 1988The Witches of Eastwick 1994Jurassic Park 2002A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2003Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Minority Report 2005Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2006War of the Worlds Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith 2012War Horse The Adventures of Tintin 2014The Book Thief 2016Star Wars: The Force Awakens 2017The BFG 2018Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2021Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2024Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Honorary awards YearAssociationAward Ref.1998 Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee 1999 BMI Film and TV Awards Richard Kirk Award 2000 Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame Inductee 2003 International Olympic Committee Olympic Order 2004 American Classical Music Hall of Fame Inductee 2004 Kennedy Center Honor Medal 2005 Classic Brit Award Award 2009 National Medal of Arts Award 2012 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Composer of the Year 2013 Ken Burns Lifetime Achievement Award Career award 2016 AFI Life Achievement Award Honorary Award 2020 Royal Philharmonic Society The Gold Medal 2020 Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts Award 2022 Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) Honorary Knighthood2024 Disney Legends Recipient
Academic awards YearUniversity Honor Ref.1988 Boston University Kappa Kappa Psi 1993 Boston College Honorary Doctor of Music 2017 Harvard University Honorary Doctorate 2019 Berklee College of Music Honorary Doctorate of Music Academy Award-Winning Composer A. R. Rahman to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Berklee berklee.edu/news accessed June 1, 2019 'Past honorary doctorate recipients include... John Williams...'2021 University of Pennsylvania Honorary Doctorate
Special recognition In 2005 the American Film Institute selected Williams's score to 1977's Star Wars as the greatest American film score of all time. His scores for Jaws and E.T. also appeared on the list, at 6 and 14, respectively. He is the only composer to have three scores on the list. Williams received the AFI Life Achievement Award in June 2016, becoming the first composer to receive the award.