The score introduces several new themes and leitmotifs. Sharing similarities with the mystery motif, "Across the Stars," Palpatine's machinations motif, and "The Emperor's Theme," and building on the melody of Episode VIII's desperation motif, the new "Anthem of Evil" theme represents Darth Sidious' Sith Eternal cult in the film. A short but pronounced staccato motif was also introduced for the Knights of Ren, as well as a sweeping heroics motif for the film's protagonists. The film score also features the theme "The Rise of Skywalker." The theme introduces a victory motif based on "Rey's Theme" that resembles the opening melody of "Across the Stars." The new theme also introduces the friendship motif.
While Kylo Ren's First Order TIE/sf space superiority fighters and TIE/wi Interceptors pursued the Millennium Falcon at the Sinta Glacier Colony, "The Emperor's Theme"—which represents Darth Sidious—is played.
During the hyperspace skipping sequence, The Empire Strikes Back's "To Hyperspace" music is temp tracked into the film. At the climax of the hyperspace skipping sequence, the music for A New Hope's climax with the destruction of the Death Star is reused.
Other pieces of music from past Star Wars saga films were also reused for the film in conflict with the commercial release of John Williams' Episode IX score. This included the music used for the death of Anakin Skywalker on the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. The music is a rendition of "The Imperial March," and is replayed when Rey is in the Death Star ruins. Similarly, the Attack of the Clones track "Return to Tatooine" is reused for the rooftop scene between Zorii Bliss and Poe Dameron, yet the entire music segment is absent from the original soundtrack.
On Kijimi, Star Wars Main Title—which represents Luke Skywalker and the franchise as a whole in both the original and the prequel trilogies, and was used to accentuate moments of excitement in the prequels—is played as Rey realizes that Chewbacca is alive. It is also played as C-3PO looks at his friends for what he believed to be the final time. Over Kijimi, the Main Title plays as the Millennium Falcon escapes from the First Order Star Destroyer Steadfast. On Ahch-To, it is played as Luke Skywalker tells Rey that she represents the efforts of "a thousand generations." The Main Title is played in full as the Citizens' Fleet arrives to defeat the Sith Eternal forces on Exegol.
"Luke and Leia"—which represents the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa is played during Jannah and Landonis Balthazar Calrissian's conversation on Ajan Kloss about their backgrounds.
The music leading up to the climax at the closing iris and the subsequent "Star Wars Main Title" uses the same composition as the one in The Force Awakens. In order, the film's end credits feature the "Star Wars Main Title," "Rebel Fanfare," the friendship motif, "Anthem of Evil," "The Imperial March," "Rey's Theme," the victory motif, and A New Hopes Main Title and End Credits.
The track "Approaching the Throne" contains a motif used in the Attack of the Clones track "Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale." Whereas the music in Attack of the Clones is made through a chorus, the music in The Rise of Skywalker is instrumental. The same motif is also used throughout Revenge of the Sith.
The soundtrack has a total run time of 76:55. However, according to Star Wars timpanist and his brother, , John Williams wrote 135 minutes' worth of music by early August, 2019, and 100 minutes of music was recorded with the orchestra by late August of that year, with John Williams at the time expecting to record forty minutes more over the next month. By the end of the soundtrack production process, the composer had written more than three hours of music for The Rise of Skywalker. And yet, according to director J.J. Abrams, things were changing considerably during post-production—as with his other Star Wars sequel film—and adjustments to the film affected its soundtrack. When told of such changes by Abrams, Williams would "always laugh and and apologize that he hadn't written the right thing before." Ultimately, new or revised music was required throughout the recording process, which took 11 days between mid-July and late November of 2019, with the final cut of the film as well as the official soundtrack being released on December 20, 2019.
The opening chorus to the "Duel of the Fates" theme is played in the The Rise of Skywalker track "Approaching the Throne," when Darth Sidious reveals to Rey the Sith cultists gathered before his throne. Only a portion of the music was included in the film. Furthermore, a partial segment of a new recording of "Duel of the Fates" is played throughout the entirety of the 30-second "Duel" TV spot for the film, where the theme from Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace is interlaced with "The Imperial March."
A march containing the "March of the Resistance" that was used in Anthony Daniels' Total Film tweets, as well as the official livestream of the world premiere of the film The Rise of Skywalker, is wholly absent from both the film and its soundtrack. The livestream's prelude also contains a heroic, magniloquent composition of "Rey's Theme" that is not published anywhere else. The composition begins with "The Force Theme" playing simultaneusly with "Rey's Theme," and nearly the whole of the piece is accompanied by a choir.
Music from the "Fate" TV spot, which brings together "The Force Theme" with the mystery motif from Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, is also not present in the film's soundtrack.
A new variation of the mystery motif is played in the film when Darth Sidious takes the power of Rey and Ben Solo for himself. However, the music is absent from the soundtrack.
The track "Fanfare and Prologue" includes music for when Kylo Ren confronts Darth Sidious on Exegol in the film soon after the main title. However, in the film, the track "Journey to Exegol" is placed between the main title and the Exegol music in "Fanfare and Prologue."
Total time: 76:55
Walt Disney Studios streamed a version of the soundtrack for Academy Awards consideration. The tracks presented are exactly the same as how they appear in the final cut of the film without sound effects, and thus include music absent from the official commercial release of the soundtrack:
Total time: 50:32
In addition to John Williams' score, two songs were recorded for The Rise of Skywalker. Lin-Manuel Miranda and J.J. Abrams, who are together credited as "Shag F. Kava," wrote the song "," which is played throughout the Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors sequence as diagetic music performed by Aki-Aki celebrants on Pasaana. The song "Oma's Place" was written by Ricky Tinez and J.J. Abrams, and is played during the sequence in the Spice Runners' Den bar on Kijimi.