''Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' is the

film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...

to the 1977 film of the same name, composed and conducted by John Williams. The soundtrack album was released on

vinyl album A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts near ...

(with a gatefold sleeve),

8-track tape The 8-track tape (formally Stereo 8; commonly called eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, and eight-track) is a magnetic tape sound recording technology that was popular from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, when the compact cassette, wh ...

and audio cassette by Arista Records in 1977, with a total running time of 41 minutes (it was later released on

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then released in Oc ...

in 1990). The soundtrack album was a commercial success, peaking at #17 on the US Billboard album chart in February 1978 and was certified Gold by the RIAA for 500,000 copies shipped. It also peaked at #40 in the UK album charts.UK Charts Stats (Close Encounters soundtrack)
/ref> Although not included on the original soundtrack album, a 7" single of a disco treatment of the five-note motif, titled, "

Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind "Theme from ''Close Encounters of the Third Kind''" is a 1978 instrumental hit single by composer John Williams. It is the main theme of the soundtrack of the movie of the same name. The song became a hit in the United States (#13) and Canada (# ...

", was included with the album as a free bonus item. Despite being a giveaway,

Billboard chart The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...

rules at that time allowed the single itself to chart, and it peaked at #13 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in March 1978. The single was later added as a bonus track to the cassette. Following the twentieth anniversary

re-release In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New audio formats Rec ...

of the film in 1998, a new expanded soundtrack was released on

by Arista. The "Collector's Edition Soundtrack" was made using 20-bit

digital remastering Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used. Mastering A ...

from the original tapes, and contained 26 tracks totalling 77 minutes of music. The CD also came with extensive liner notes, including an interview with Williams. Cues were given new titles, and it also contained previously unreleased material, as well as material that was recorded but never used in the film. La-La Land Records reissued the soundtrack on November 28, 2017, in recognition of the film's fortieth anniversary. The score features some of Williams' most complex and modernistic writing, making use of extended orchestral techniques and atonality.

Track listing

1977 original album

† 1978 reissue – bonus track (cassette), free bonus 7" single (vinyl album).

1998 Collector's Edition

2017 La-La Land Records' 40th Anniversary release

+ Contains " When You Wish Upon a Star" (interpolated), written by

Ned Washington Ned Washington (born Edward Michael Washington, August 15, 1901 – December 20, 1976) was an American lyricist born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Life and career Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962. He won the Bes ...

and

Leigh Harline Leigh Adrian Harline (March 26, 1907 – December 10, 1969) was an American film composer and songwriter. He was known for his "musical sophistication that was uniquely 'Harline-esque' by weaving rich tapestries of mood-setting underscores and ...

. + Contains " When You Wish Upon a Star" (interpolated), written by

and

.
† Previously unreleased.
‡ Contains previously unreleased material.

Charts

References

{{Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 1970s film soundtrack albums 1977 soundtrack albums 1998 soundtrack albums Arista Records soundtracks Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media John Williams soundtracks La-La Land Records soundtracks