Superman has inspired a lot of great music over the years.
- The original march from the Superman Theatrical Cartoons, orchestrated by Sammy Timberg, is a triumphant, bombastic theme that perfectly represents the wonderful action the shorts themselves deliver.
- The march in the Kirk Alyn serials is a really suspenseful theme, helping the audience get ready for what was to come.
- The more famous John Williams March
from the Christopher Reeve Superman movies. Best Fanfare ever. It has become iconic because it really captures the majesty and epicness of Superman. An ideal theme for the Man of Tomorrow who will make you believe a man can fly.- Richard Donner was so moved by the theme that he ruined the recording by running into the studio screaming at the top of his lungs about how much he loved it.
- Very effectively used in the helicopter scene that begins with a growing sense of urgency as Lois faces greater and greater peril until Clark Kent appears. When he realizes he has to change, the growing musical swell that climaxes when he rips open his shirt to reveal his chest symbol is a classic of the superhero film genre.
- John Ottman's use of said theme, as well as his own music, creates a soundtrack that is pretty much non-stop Heartwarming and tearjerking for Superman Returns. A leading example is when Lois Lane's family is trapped in Luthor's sinking ship. The music begins with a mournful dirge as the trio are pulled under to their seemingly-inescapable doom. Just when the tragedy becomes too much, two red boots appear on the door window and the March blasts out with full thunder as Superman saves the day!
- Smallville ends with Clark Kent running out onto the Daily Planet's roof, ripping open his shirt to reveal the S-shield beneath as he prepares to take flight, the camera focusing on that iconic symbol all while that classic Superman theme song plays ever so magnificently in the background and into the end credits.
- Oh hey, since we're on the topic of Superman, may we present his love theme, which helps sell the scenes of them together.
- In addition to the main fanfare and "Can You Read My Mind?", there is a really moving musical moment after young Clark Kent tells his mother Martha that he's leaving Smallville to pursue his destiny up north. It's called "Leaving Home", and starts a minute-and-a-half into that track.
- "The Planet Krypton" anyone, which captures the majesty of the planet well?
- The mysterious and graceful "Fortress of Solitude". It exemplifies John Williams' specialty with the Leitmotif, since it takes cues from "The Planet Krypton," but uses them in a subdued, haunting manner, musically indicating the Fortess is basically literally the ghost of Krypton.
- When Clark defeats the evil Superman in Superman III, and the music starts up to celebrate the might of our beloved Man of Steel with a gold heart seeking justice and freedom from evil.
- The song "Save Me" by Remy Zero ended up getting immortalized and remembered after it was chosen to be the theme song for Smallville, which suits a young Clark Kent who's yet to become the Man of Steel and finding his place in the world.
- While Steel is considered a bad movie, the theme by Mervyn Warren is an epic and hopeful one, capturing the nature of John Henry Irons well, even when talking about the comics.
- On celebrating Superman's 75th anniversary in 2013, DC released a 2-minute animated short featuring the many iterations of Superman over the years, starting with John William's famous "March" from the Christopher Reeve Superman films before beautifully segueing into Hans Zimmer's "What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?" from Man of Steel.
