• CriticsAudience
    Safe House53%70%
    The Vow29%66%
    Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance15%41%
    Journey 2: The Mysterious Island42%55%
    This Means War25%72%
    Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (in 3D)57%62%
    Chronicle84%77%
    The Woman in Black63%65%
    The Secret World of Arrietty93%87%
    The Grey78%69%
    Critic ratings
    Audience ratings

Western Movie Themes

Western movie themes are the soul of the western movies. They could be as wild as an untamed horse and they could be as soothing as a violin’s deep voice from an open grand canyon at midnight. No movie qualifies as a good western without a good western movie soundtrack.

If rustic western backdrop, crude characters and wildness of old west make you watch a western film then the western movie themes make you feel as you are present there yourself. One who loves western movies can’t deny the fact that it’s western film music which makes an everlasting effect on your mind!

And this effect has been so beautifully carved on western cinema by western film music composers like Ennio Morricone, Dimitri Tiomkin, Victor Young, Elmer Bernstein and Dominic Frontiere that time could never erode it. These western movie themes are as compelling and touching as they were years back. The ‘touch’ is always there.

Most-Wanted-Western-Movies.com presents the list of best western movie themes of all time.

Let’s start from Top to Bottom!

  1. A Man With Harmonica ( Once Upon A Time In West -1968) by Ennio Morricone
    man_with_harmonicaNothing gives my spine a chill as this sound of harmonica with eco effects composed by the master himself – Ennio Morricone. Once Upon A Time in West (1968) is not only remembered for it classic Sergio Leone touch but also for this western movie theme which intensifies the extreme close-ups used by Sergio Leone. I rate this single track from Once Upon A Time In West as the best western film score.

  2. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966) by Ennio Morricone
    good-bad-ugly themeThis western movie soundtrack is recognizable from a mile, such a unique piece of western film music from Ennio Morricone. This iconic theme was designed in places to mimic the sound of crying hyena. The shades of on screen drama are remarkably supported by background theme. Western soundtrack of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly gets as sharp as Blondy, as mean as Angel Eyes and as sarcastic as our favorite Tuco. In one word.. It is magnificent!

  3. Once Upon A Time in West (1968) by Ennio Morricone
    henry Fonda once upon a time in westAlthough remarkable western film music in every sense, except for A Man With Harmonica track, Once Upon A Time In West comes after larger than life theme of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

  4. For a Few Dollars More (1965) by Ennio Morricone

  5. High Noon (1952) by Dimitri Tiomkin
  6. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) by Ennio Morricone
  7. Unforgiven (1992) by Lennie Niehaus
  8. The Magnificent Seven (1960) by Elmer Bernstein
  9. Rio Bravo (1959) by Dimitri Tiomkin
  10. Johny Guitar (1954) by Victor Young
  11. How The West Was Won (1962) by Alfred Newman
  12. My Name Is Nobody (1973) by Ennio Morricone
  13. Wand’rin’ Star – Paint Your Wagon (1969) by Frederick Loewe and Nelson Riddle
  14. The Assassination of Jesse James by Coward Robert Ford (2007) by Nick Cave Warren Ellis
  15. Alamo (1960) by Dimitri Tiomkin
  16. Comancheros (1961) by Elmer Bernstein
  17. The Big Country (1958) by Jerome Moross
  18. Ride the High Country (1962) by George Bassman
  19. Dances with Wolves (1990) by John Barry
  20. Wyatt Earp (1994) by James Newton Howard

14 comments

1 Sam { 01.05.12 at 7:13 pm }

The Silverado theme by Bruce Broughton is a very under-rated – and yet extremely recognizable – Western theme that’s worthy of at least top 10, in my opinion. It’s a very fine piece that expertly combines many elements of the classic Western films and television programs in the decades that preceded it.

2 GunSlinger { 12.07.11 at 4:02 pm }

I know this film was way underrated, but how’s about 3:10 to Yuma?

3 satinder { 11.09.11 at 7:53 pm }

Suggestions people! The theme list is going to expand soon. :)

4 anonymous { 11.03.11 at 3:38 pm }

I don’t trust this list, since Maverick is not on it.

5 apache gunners { 10.22.11 at 10:06 pm }

i like this

6 JCJames { 09.17.11 at 10:08 am }

Excellent post, but I think 3:10 to Yuma could be in that list too.

Anyway, thanks a lot !

7 Hung Nguyen { 08.16.11 at 5:43 pm }

How about The Ectasy of Gold?

8 steve { 08.04.11 at 6:42 pm }

‘Get off your horse and drink your milk’ yup I wanna thank ya sure is a mighty good track listing Boy

9 Rick Du Bose { 08.03.11 at 11:57 am }

I agree that the theme music selected for a western is integral to the success of the film. My all-time western theme music is associated with “The Big Country” (1958). Jerome Maross’ music is used to great effect in the film, especially the opening montage. My other selections include “The Sons of Katie Elder” (1965), “How the West Was Won” (1962), and of course, the immortal Elmer Bernstein theme music to “The Magnificent Seven” (1960).

10 Patricia Moreti { 03.15.11 at 2:32 pm }

Para mim, o melhor filme de western de todos os tempos, “Era uma vez no Oeste, nem se compara com os novos lançamentos,
o elenco então nem se fala, Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, e a fantástica Claudia Cardinale. Parabens por postar essa enquete.

11 Dpak Mehta { 03.13.11 at 2:07 pm }

I just love bounty killers. man, its awesome site to watch Clint, John Wynne, Lee Van Cliff etc… riding horses in Grand canyon background with bang on target with their guns. I remember in “For a few dollar more ” Lee van cliff order a double Martini. Wow guys lets have party in new Mexico.
Dapk bliss

12 sunil lall { 03.01.11 at 5:48 pm }

Westerns are great to watch. You should increase the list to 50.

13 Shreyas { 02.23.11 at 9:32 am }

Excellent post. Nice effort.

Thanks.

14 medical transcription jobs { 01.24.11 at 6:13 am }

This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!

Leave a Comment

CAPTCHA Image
*