Artist

John Williams

Wins

Nominations

Biography

"Any working composer or painter or sculptor will tell you that inspiration comes at the eighth hour of labor rather than as a bolt out of the blue."

Born John Towner Williams on Feb. 8, 1932, Floral Park, New York

John Williams has composed music for some of the most successful film franchises in cinema history, including Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Schindler's List, and Harry Potter.

Williams earned his first career GRAMMY for 1975 for Album Of Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special for Jaws. More than a decade prior, Williams earned his first career nomination for 1961 for Best Sound Track Album Or Recording Of Score From Motion Picture Or Television for "Checkmate," a CBS television series.

As part of a film music medley, Williams conducted the Star Wars main theme on the 41st GRAMMY Awards in 1999.

Williams served in the U.S. Air Force. In addition to his assignments, he conducted and arranged music for the U.S. Air Force band.

Williams is an ardent supporter of the Young Musicians Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing young musicians with access to exceptional musical education.

All Grammy Awards and Nominations for John Williams

2026 • 68th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Music Film

Music By John Williams. John Williams

2024 • 66th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

The Fabelmans. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Helena's Theme. John Williams

2023 • 65th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Orchestral Performance

John Williams - The Berlin Concert. John Williams

2021 • 63rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. John Williams

2020 • 62nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Hedwig's Theme. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite. John Williams

2019 • 61st Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Mine Mission. John Powell, John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi. John Williams

2018 • 60th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Escapades For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can. John Williams

2017 • 59th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

2015 • 57th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

The Book Thief. John Williams

2014 • 56th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Lincoln. John Williams

2013 • 55th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

The Adventures Of Tintin - The Secret Of The Unicorn. John Williams

2009 • 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

The Adventures Of Mutt. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. John Williams

2007 • 49th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Memoirs Of A Geisha. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

A Prayer For Peace. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Munich. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Sayuri's Theme And End Credits. John Williams

2006 • 48th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Anakin's Betrayal. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

The Ferry Scene. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith. John Williams

2005 • 47th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. John Williams

2004 • 46th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Catch Me If You Can. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets. John Williams

2003 • 45th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Hedwig's Theme. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone. John Williams

2002 • 44th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

A. I. - Artificial Intelligence. John Williams

2001 • 43rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Theme From Angela's Ashes. John Williams

2000 • 42nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. John Williams
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Stella By Starlight - From The Uninvited. John Williams

1999 • 41st Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Amistad. John Williams
Classical Crossover

Gershwin Fantasy (Fantasy For Violin And Orchestra On Porgy And Bess; Three Preludes; Songs For Violin And Orchestra) (Album). John Williams, Joshua Bell
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Saving Private Ryan. John Williams

1998 • 40th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Seven Years In Tibet. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park. John Williams

1997 • 39th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Song Written For Visual Media

Moonlight (From Sabrina). Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, John Williams

1995 • 37th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Schindler's List. John Williams

1994 • 36th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Jurassic Park. John Williams

1993 • 35th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Hook. John Williams
Pop Instrumental Performance

Hook. John Williams

1992 • 34th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Pop Instrumental Performance

John Williams Conducts John Williams/ The Star Wars Trilogy (Album). John Williams
Best Song Written For Visual Media

Somewhere In My Memory (From Home Alone). Leslie Bricusse, John Williams

1991 • 33rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Born On The Fourth Of July. John Williams

1990 • 32nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. John Williams

1989 • 31st Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Empire Of The Sun. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Olympic Spirit. John Williams

1988 • 30th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

The Witches Of Eastwick. John Williams

1986 • 28th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Album For Children

Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf (Album). Dudley Moore, John Williams

1985 • 27th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Olympic Fanfare & Theme. John Williams

1984 • 26th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars - The Return Of The Jedi. John Williams

1983 • 25th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Adventure On Earth. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. John Williams
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Flying. John Williams
Pop Instrumental Performance

E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Flying - Theme From E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. John Williams

1982 • 24th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Raiders Of The Lost Ark. John Williams

1981 • 23rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme). John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

The Empire Strikes Back. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

The Empire Strikes Back. John Williams
Pop Instrumental Performance

Yoda's Theme. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Yoda's Theme. John Williams

1980 • 22nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Best Instrumental Composition

Superman Main Title Theme. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Superman. John Williams
Pop Instrumental Performance

Superman - Main Title. John Williams

1979 • 21st Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Pop Instrumental Performance

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Theme From Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. John Williams

1978 • 20th Annual GRAMMY® Awards

Pop Instrumental Performance

Star Wars. John Williams
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Star Wars. John Williams
Best Instrumental Composition

Star Wars - Main Title. John Williams
Album Of The Year

Star Wars. John Williams