Music in the Wizarding World

Music is an integral part of life in the Wizarding world, much as it is for Muggles. It serves as a form of entertainment, a tool for celebration, a method of communication, and even as a potent form of magic. From the formal school song of Hogwarts to the enchanted lullabies used to subdue magical beasts, music is woven into the fabric of wizarding culture, reflecting its whimsy, its traditions, and its dangers. It is broadcast over the Wizarding Wireless Network, performed by magical beings, and created by popular wizarding artists.

Music in the Wizarding world is often produced by magical means or by magical beings, giving it unique properties not found in Muggle music.

• Creature Songs:
  • Phoenix Song: The song of a Phoenix is deeply magical. It can increase courage in the good and strike fear into the hearts of the evil. After the death of Albus Dumbledore, his phoenix, Fawkes, sang a beautiful and heartbreaking lament that was heard all over the grounds of Hogwarts.
  • Merpeople Song: The Merpeople who inhabit the Great Lake at Hogwarts sing in a language called Mermish. Above water, their song sounds like a screeching noise, but underwater, the lyrics become clear. Their song was used as a clue for the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
  • Augurey Song: The mournful cry of the Augurey was once believed to foretell death, but it is now known to simply presage rain (Pottermore).
• Performances by Magical Beings:
  • The Sorting Hat: At the start of each school year, the Sorting Hat sings a new song that it has composed over the summer. The song typically describes the four Hogwarts Houses and often includes warnings or advice for the school, as seen before Harry Potter's fifth year when it urged the houses to unite.
  • Peeves: The Hogwarts poltergeist, Peeves, frequently composed and sang rude, taunting songs about students and staff, most notably his “Oh, Potter, you rotter” ditty and the triumphant “We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the one” song after Fred and George Weasley's departure from the school.
  • House-Elves: The House-Elves in the Hogwarts Kitchens were heard singing when Dobby was given socks by Ron Weasley.
• Wizarding Artists and Groups:
  • Celestina Warbeck: A very popular singer known as the “Singing Sorceress,” often featured on the Wizarding Wireless Network show, The Witching Hour. She is a favourite of Molly Weasley. Her famous songs include “A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love” and “You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me.”
  • The Weird Sisters: A popular wizarding band that performed at the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament. The band consists of members playing instruments such as guitars, drums, lutes, cellos, and bagpipes. Their hit songs include “Do the Hippogriff” and “Magic Works.”
  • The Frog Choir: A Hogwarts choir conducted by Professor Filius Flitwick, composed of students who sing while holding large, croaking frogs that provide the bass notes. They performed for the welcoming feast in Harry Potter's third and fourth years.

Certain magical objects and instruments are specifically designed to produce or interact with music.

• Enchanted Harp: An enchanted harp was placed by Professor Quirrell near the trapdoor guarding the Philosopher's Stone to lull the three-headed dog, Fluffy, to sleep. The harp continued to play on its own after being started.
• Music Box: In the Department of Mysteries, a music box in the Time Room played a tinkling, dreamlike tune that, if listened to for too long, caused the listener to become confused and regress in age (or get trapped in a time loop).
• Wizarding Wireless Network (WWN): The primary radio broadcaster for the wizarding community in Britain. It features a variety of musical programs, including shows hosted by Celestina Warbeck.
• Self-Knitting Needles: Albus Dumbledore mentioned possessing a pair of knitting needles that would knit patterns of their own accord while humming a tune.

• Hogwarts School Song: Titled Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, the school song is sung at the end of the start-of-term feast. Albus Dumbledore encourages everyone to pick their favourite tune, resulting in a chaotic but enthusiastic performance.
• Weasley is Our King: A derisive song invented by the Slytherins to mock Ron Weasley's poor performance as the Gryffindor Quidditch team's Keeper. The Gryffindors later adopted and rewrote the song to celebrate Ron's match-winning performance.
• The Merpeople's Riddle Song: The song containing the clue for the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, which had to be heard underwater to be understood.

Music serves several key functions throughout the series. It acts as a direct plot device, such as the Merpeople's song providing the clue for the Second Task or the enchanted harp being a key to getting past Fluffy. It is also a powerful tool for world-building, adding depth and culture to the Wizarding world through entities like The Weird Sisters and the WWN. Furthermore, music is used for characterization, revealing Albus Dumbledore's eccentric and inclusive nature through his love for the school song, and Molly Weasley's personality through her fondness for Celestina Warbeck. Finally, it sets the tone, from the joyful chaos of the Yule Ball to the profound grief of Fawkes's lament.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the band The Weird Sisters is visually represented. The songs “Do the Hippogriff,” “This Is the Night,” and “Magic Works” were written and performed for the film by the Muggle musicians Jarvis Cocker (of the band Pulp) and Jason Buckle.
• The iconic “Hedwig's Theme,” composed by John Williams for the film series, has become synonymous with the *Harry Potter* franchise, but it does not originate from the books.
• J.K. Rowling has written an extensive backstory for Celestina Warbeck on Pottermore (now WizardingWorld.com), including her half-blood status, her famous Gringotts-themed wedding, and a discography.