You know that feeling. The helicopter sweeps over a lush, green island, the camera pans across a prehistoric valley, and suddenly, the horns kick in. It’s iconic. But here’s the thing about the songs of Jurassic World—they aren't just a rehash of what John Williams did back in 1993. Michael Giacchino had a massive task. He had to honor the legacy of the greatest film composer of all time while making something that felt modern, scary, and new. Most people think it’s just the same theme song over and over. It’s not.
If you really listen to the score of the Jurassic World trilogy, you’ll realize it’s actually a bit darker than the original Park era. It's more corporate. More frantic. It reflects a world where dinosaurs are a product, not a miracle.
The Giacchino Evolution: Not Your Dad's Dino Music
When Michael Giacchino took over the baton for the 2015 reboot, he was already a legend for Lost and Up. But Jurassic World was different. He had to bridge a twenty-year gap. The primary theme he wrote, "As the Jurassic World Turns," is honestly a masterpiece of restraint. It starts with those soft, twinkling piano notes that sound like a theme park brochure, then it swells into something huge. It’s the sound of a billion-dollar resort.
But have you noticed how the music changes when the Indominus Rex shows up?
The music gets jagged. Giacchino uses a lot of dissonant brass. It’s uncomfortable. In the original Jurassic Park, the "Journey to the Island" theme was about wonder. In the songs of Jurassic World, the music is often about hubris. Take the track "The Family That Strays Together"—it’s tense. It’s not about the beauty of nature; it’s about kids being hunted by a genetic freak. Giacchino is basically telling us through the music that we shouldn't be here.
John Williams created the "DNA" of the franchise, but Giacchino built the "Indominus" of the score—something bigger, louder, and arguably more aggressive.
Why "Welcome to Jurassic World" Works (and Why It Doesn't)
The main theme for the 2015 film is catchy, sure. But some purists hate it. They think it’s too "poppy" compared to the classical sweeping grandeur of the '93 score. Honestly? They might have a point. Williams wrote for a symphony; Giacchino writes for a blockbuster.
But look at Fallen Kingdom. The score for that movie is basically a gothic horror soundtrack. Tracks like "The Brachiosaurus" (the one where the dinosaur is left on the dock—yeah, the one that made everyone cry) use the original Williams themes but slow them down into a dirge. It’s heartbreaking. It’s the sound of a childhood dream literally burning to death. That’s where the songs of Jurassic World actually surpass the original—they aren't afraid to be depressing.
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The music for the Indoraptor in Fallen Kingdom is also weirdly underrated. It has this creepy, clockwork-like rhythm. It feels like a machine. Because the Indoraptor is a machine. Giacchino understood the assignment: the music had to evolve alongside the dinosaurs.
The Secret Ingredient: The "Dino-Percussion"
Did you know Giacchino used actual fossils in some of his percussion? Kinda. He’s known for using weird instruments to get "primitive" sounds. In the Jurassic World scores, you hear a lot of low-end woodwinds and heavy, thumping drums that mimic the heartbeat of a massive animal.
It’s tactile.
When you hear the songs of Jurassic World in a theater, you don't just hear the melody. You feel the vibration. That’s a specific choice. In Dominion, the final film of the trilogy, Giacchino had to integrate the legacy cast (Grant, Sattler, Malcolm) with the new cast. This meant the music had to do a double-pivot. He brings back the "Island" theme, but he anchors it in a much more global, electronic soundscape.
Ranking the Best Tracks Across the Trilogy
Most fans just search for "Jurassic World Theme," but if you want the real experience, you have to look at the deep cuts.
"As the Jurassic World Turns" – This is the definitive 2015 track. It captures the "New Park" smell. It’s optimistic, but if you listen closely, the percussion is a bit too fast. It feels like someone trying to stay in control of a situation that’s already failing.
"Atiruim Alive" – This plays when we first see the Main Street of the park. It’s pure consumerism set to music. It’s brilliant because it sounds like a high-end commercial.
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"March of the Wheatley" – From Fallen Kingdom. This is the "villain" music. It’s militaristic and sharp. It represents the humans who see dinosaurs as nothing more than assets.
"The Battle of the Giganotosaurus" – From Dominion. This is just pure chaos. It’s heavy, loud, and uses a lot of low brass to signify the size of the Giga.
What People Get Wrong About the Music
A common complaint is that the songs of Jurassic World rely too much on nostalgia. "They just play the old song when a T-Rex appears!" Well, yeah. But that’s called a leitmotif.
In film scoring, a leitmotif is a recurring theme associated with a particular person, idea, or situation. When Giacchino uses the Williams theme, he isn't being lazy. He’s signaling to your brain: This is the real deal. He uses it sparingly. If he played the original theme every five minutes, it would lose its power. Instead, he saves it for the "Money Shots."
But the new themes—the ones for Blue the Raptor, for example—are actually quite delicate. Blue’s theme is soulful. It’s one of the few times the music treats a dinosaur like a character with feelings rather than just a monster.
Honestly, the score for Dominion is where things get the most experimental. Since the dinosaurs are now in the "real world" (snowy forests, Malta, urban streets), Giacchino had to move away from the "tropical island" sound. The music in the Malta chase scene feels more like a Mission: Impossible or Bourne movie than a monster flick. It’s fast-paced, synth-heavy, and frantic.
The Sound of the End: Jurassic World Dominion
By the time we get to the end of the trilogy, the music is exhausted. I mean that in a good way. The track "Suite, Sir?" is a massive 12-minute medley that basically summarizes the entire emotional journey.
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One thing that really stands out in Dominion is the use of silence. Sometimes, the best songs of Jurassic World are the ones that stop. When the Giganotosaurus is stalking the cast in the forest, the music drops out. You just hear the snapping of trees and low-frequency hums. This is a classic Spielberg-ian trick that Giacchino mastered. He knows when to let the sound design do the heavy lifting.
The Legacy of the Score
So, does it live up to John Williams?
Probably not. But nothing ever will. Williams is the GOAT. However, Giacchino’s work on the Jurassic World films is arguably the most consistent part of the entire trilogy. Even when the scripts got a little... messy... the music was always on point. It gave the films a sense of scale and emotional stakes that they might not have earned otherwise.
If you're looking for the best way to experience these scores, don't just watch the movies on your phone. Get a decent pair of headphones. The layering in these tracks is insane. There are little "musical jokes" hidden in there too. Giacchino is famous for his pun-filled track titles, like "It’s a Small Jurassic World After All" or "Our Rex is Better Than Yours."
Actionable Steps for Soundtrack Lovers
If you want to dive deeper into the songs of Jurassic World, here is how to actually appreciate the technicality of the score:
- Listen to the "Fallen Kingdom" soundtrack in the dark. It is legitimately a horror score. Focus on the track "Monster in the Mansion." It uses high-pitched strings to create a sense of claustrophobia that is totally different from the first movie.
- Compare the "Journey to the Island" (1993) with "The Griffin Doesn't Exist" (2015). Both tracks cover the arrival at the park. Notice how Giacchino uses a more "waltz-like" rhythm to show that the park is now a routine business, whereas Williams used a 4/4 "adventure" rhythm to show it was an epic discovery.
- Watch for the "Maltese" sequence in Dominion. Pay attention to how the music shifts from orchestral to something resembling a techno-thriller. It’s a huge departure for the franchise.
- Check out the vinyl releases. Mondo has released some incredible vinyl pressings of these scores. The artwork is great, but the vinyl mastering often brings out the low-end frequencies of the "dino-drums" better than a compressed Spotify stream.
The music of this franchise isn't just background noise. It’s the heartbeat of the dinosaurs. Whether it’s the soaring trumpets of a Brachiosaurus sighting or the terrifying silence before a Rex attack, the songs of Jurassic World define how we feel about these extinct giants. It’s about the balance between the beauty of nature and the danger of playing God. Next time you watch, turn the volume up. You'll hear exactly what I mean.