‘Harry Potter' Almost Reaches No. 1 On An Unlikely Music Chart

Forbes

25-04-2025

John Williams's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone reenters U.K. charts after 20 years, ... More hitting No. 2 on the Soundtrack Albums chart—its highest peak yet. UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD — ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter Attraction Opening’ — Pictured: Composer John Williams performs onstage during the opening of the 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 5, 2016. NUP_173167 (Photo by Kevin Winter/Universal Studios/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Thanks to Record Store Day, John Williams is back on the charts in the United Kingdom. Several of the legendary composer's scores from the Harry Potter franchise were re-released for the music industry holiday, and two of them became bestsellers in the country where the boy wizard first rose to prominence – and one stands out as a real winner from the latest edition of the music biz effort.
The original Harry Potter score – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as it's known across the Atlantic – is back on the charts. The instrumental appears on three different albums rankings in the U.K. this frame. It's brand new to one and returns to two others, reaching a handful of important milestones along the way.
The title makes its debut on the Official Albums Sales chart, opening at No. 64. That's a notable achievement for Williams, as it gives him just his fifth-ever placement on the list of the bestselling albums in the U.K. That's a somewhat rare feat, even for one of the most successful film composers in history. Scores don't always move units quickly, even when they're beloved, so seeing one of his projects land on this tally is a surefire sign that it's one of the most popular film scores of the past several decades.
That same project returns to the Official Soundtrack Albums chart, and it comes back with a bang. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone reenters the ranking all the way up at No. 2, almost nabbing the top spot. That position is a new peak for the title.
The album debuted at No. 7 back in 2002. It went on to spend several weeks inside the top 10 before eventually fading. This is the first time the release has been spotted on the Official Soundtrack Albums chart in 20 years. It last appeared in August 2004, when it sank to No. 44 before vanishing.
The soundtrack also reemerges on the Official Physical Albums chart this frame, landing at No. 62.
Williams manages to claim more than one win in the U.K. this frame. The composer doubles up inside the top 10 on the Official Soundtrack Albums chart, as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets also returns. That second entry from the franchise reenters at No. 9, though it previously peaked at No. 3, so while this isn't a new high, it's still a sign that fans are showing up for more than just the first film's music.