Jack Ryan Soundtrack: Every Composer, Film by Film

Four composers scored the five Jack Ryan films: Basil Poledouris, James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith and Patrick Doyle. Only Horner returned for a second film, so the series sounds like a relay rather than one musical identity. If you are planning a run through the Jack Ryan movies in order, expect the music to change hands almost every time.

Basil Poledouris scored The Hunt for Red October (1990), directed by John McTiernan. The score album, "The Hunt for Red October", came out on MCA Records on June 12, 1990, with 10 tracks. The cue most people search for is "Hymn to Red October (Main Title)". The rest of the album covers the submarine action, with titles such as "Nuclear Scam", "Chopper" and "Kaboom!!!".

James Horner scored both Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994), each directed by Phillip Noyce. The "Patriot Games" score album was released by Victor on August 26, 1992, with 10 tracks, including "Attempt on the Royals", "Assault on Ryan's House" and "Boat Chase". The "Clear and Present Danger" album followed on Milan on August 2, 1994, also with 10 tracks. Its best known titles are "Main Title / A Clear and Present Danger", "Operation Reciprocity", "The Ambush" and "Truth Needs a Soldier / End Title".

Jerry Goldsmith scored The Sum of All Fears (2002), directed by Phil Alden Robinson. Its album, "The Sum of All Fears", is a 16 track soundtrack released by Elektra on June 4, 2002. Track titles to look for include "The Bomb", "Clear the Stadium" and "Snap Count".

Patrick Doyle scored Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), directed by Kenneth Branagh. Varèse Sarabande released the 24 track score album, "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit", on January 14, 2014. The opening cue "Flying Over Afghanistan" is the first thing many listeners seek out, along with "Shadow Accounts" and "The Activation".

The Prime Video series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan is television, so its music sits outside these film scores. For the people on screen rather than behind the music, the Jack Ryan cast page covers every principal actor, and the Jack Ryan actors page follows the four men who have played the lead.

Three of the five Jack Ryan films feature credited songs, and The Sum of All Fears has the most: four, two of them written for the film. The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games each use a single song where the story calls for one, while Clear and Present Danger and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit rely on orchestral score alone.

The Hunt for Red October (1990). The one credited song is "State Anthem of the Soviet Union" by Alexander Alexandrov. The crew of the Red October sings it aboard the submarine, so it works as character and setting rather than as a soundtrack single. The rest of the music is Basil Poledouris's score, led by "Hymn to Red October (Main Title)".

Patriot Games (1992). "Theme from Harry's Game" by Clannad appears as a music video on screen in an early scene of the film. The same piece closes the loop on the score album from Victor (released August 26, 1992), where it sits as "Theme From Harry’s Game" between "Attempt on the Royals" and "The Hit". For a thriller built around an Irish militant plot, it is a pointed choice.

Clear and Present Danger (1994). There is no credited song. The music people remember is James Horner's score, including "Main Title / A Clear and Present Danger" and "The Laser‐Guided Missile".

The Sum of All Fears (2002). This is the one film in the series with a soundtrack album built from songs, released on Elektra on June 4, 2002 with 16 tracks. Yolanda Adams sings "If We Could Remember", which opens the album and was written for the film. Shana Blake Hill performs "The Mission", also written for the film. Tabitha Fair performs "If We Get Through This", and Bruce Sledge sings "Nessun Dorma (from Turandot)". Jerry Goldsmith scored the film.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). No credited songs here either. Patrick Doyle's score carries the film, with cues such as "Flying Over Afghanistan", "Shadow Accounts" and "Faith of Our Fathers" on the Varèse Sarabande album.

The newest Jack Ryan title, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War, is an Amazon MGM film made for Prime Video, and you can follow it on the next Jack Ryan movie page. To hear these songs in context, check where to watch Jack Ryan for streaming options in the US, UK and Australia, and see the Jack Ryan movies hub for the whole saga. Previews for each film are collected on the jack ryan movie trailer page.

Our picks: the best songs in the Jack Ryan films (opinion)

• "State Anthem of the Soviet Union": a crew singing together aboard a submarine says more about the Red October than any score cue could.
• "Theme from Harry's Game": an unusual choice for a thriller, and one that gives Patriot Games a distinct sound before the action starts.
• "If We Could Remember": in my opinion the strongest of the original songs, and a fitting opener for the 2002 album.
• "Nessun Dorma (from Turandot)": an ambitious choice for a political thriller, and a bold piece to put on any Jack Ryan soundtrack.
• "The Mission": a second song written for The Sum of All Fears, which suggests the film treated its soundtrack as more than an afterthought.
• "If We Get Through This": a title that suits the film's premise, and the track I would play first for a fan of the 2002 album.