Concerning Hobbits was composed by Howard Shore for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, where it introduces the Shire and its hobbit residents. Its whistle led theme became one of the most recognisable pieces from the score and returned in later Middle-earth films. Online, short clips of the melody spread as shorthand for simple rural comfort, untouched nature and life before a long journey begins. It remains popular because viewers recognise the place and feeling within the first few notes, even without any film footage.