The signature songs in the Harry Potter films come from five productions: Goblet of Fire, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows: Part 1 among the eight main films, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Secrets of Dumbledore among the spin-offs. Every other film relies on its orchestral score, so the songs are the exception rather than the rule.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) have no credited songs. Their music is John Williams score, with cues such as "Harry's Wondrous World", "Fawkes the Phoenix", "Dobby the House Elf", "Lumos! (Hedwig's Theme)" and "Double Trouble" carrying the identity that a pop track might carry elsewhere.
The first on-screen songs arrive in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). "Do the Hippogriff", "This Is the Night" and "Magic Works" are credited to The Weird Sisters with Jarvis Cocker, Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway, and the band performs them on stage at the Yule Ball. All three were written for the film.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) has no credited songs, and its music is Nicholas Hooper score such as "Dumbledore's Army". Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) includes "Big Beat Repeat" by Josh Powell, which plays in the Gryffindor common room after the Quidditch match. No source says it was written for the film.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) uses "O Children" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It plays when Harry and Hermione dance together in their tent after Ron has left, a moment that is not in the book. No source says the song was written for the film. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) has no credited songs, and Alexandre Desplat score cues such as "Lily's Theme" do the work.
The spin-offs bring songs back. In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), a small goblin singer performs the jazz number "Blind Pig", by Emmi and written for the film, for the patrons of the Blind Pig speakeasy while Newt, Jacob, Tina and Queenie order drinks. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) has no credited songs. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) features "Heaven" by Gregory Porter, and no source names its scene or says it was written for the film.
Our picks: the best songs in the Harry Potter films (opinion)
- "Do the Hippogriff": in my opinion, the number that best sells the Yule Ball as a real stage show rather than background music.
- "This Is the Night": a strong second Weird Sisters song, and proof that the film committed to a full set instead of a single cameo.
- "Magic Works": perhaps the most upbeat of the three, which makes the trio feel like a proper band.
- "O Children": it could be argued that this is the most memorable song moment in the saga, because the tent dance gives a quiet scene its own identity.
- "Blind Pig": a small, funny jazz number that gives the speakeasy real personality.
- "Big Beat Repeat": a lively common room track that suits the post match mood.
To see where the music sits among the films, the harry potter movies ranked page gives our own order, and the harry potter movies hub lists every film. The next Harry Potter release is the HBO series, reported for December 25, 2026, which is covered on the harry potter tv series page, while the new harry potter movie page explains why no new film is announced.
