Every James Bond Theme Song, Ranked

Daniel Craig’s first day out as 007 used to be a arduous reboot for the series, nevertheless Chris Cornell’s Casino Royale theme music did not match the movie’s daring current vision for the globetrotting look. In must always offering a memorable Bond music, we purchased what appears like a forgettable music from a late-’90s grunge rock compilation of theme music covers.

Tom Jones seems just like the most realistic likely vocalist for a James Bond tune. Coming off the heels of 1964’s Goldfinger (which supplied the outlet credits music, sung by Shirley Bassey), Thunderball effect one more Welsh singer—this time a man—leisurely the mic. But it with out a doubt simply appears like a rehash of its predecessor, an unremarkable ballad a pair of man who strikes “like thunderball,” which… doesn’t in actuality decide up any sense.

Lulu’s pop stylings made her a blue-eyed soul icon—and her finest hits are peppy and vibrant. This theme music, alternatively, is clunky and jarring.

Per chance Madonna can maintain to silent maintain had her shot at a James Bond tune when she used to be an up-and-coming ’80s pop megastar. As one more, she phoned in this dance music for Pierce Brosnan’s final (and worst) Bond movie, Die But one more Day. It is Autotuned to hell—and has the singer inexplicably purring, “Sigmund Freud: Analyze this.” Unpleasant movie franchise!

Don’t you form of need David Bowie recorded a James Bond theme? I decide up the feeling that the Bond producers had the the same dream, nevertheless they couldn’t e-book him for the gig and instead employed the services and products of… A-ha.

With music by get composer Michael Legrand and hypnotizing vocals from Lani Hall, this title music is one more departure from the current Bond theme expectations. It’s a on the total fine hear, nevertheless the music doesn’t precisely enhance the on-cowl bound within the outlet titles.

Here is one more music within the catalog that takes all of the Bond cliches: enormous orchestra with swooning strings, a catchy tempo, and a large, daring vocal performance from Shirley Bassey. This explicit combo, alternatively, is basically unremarkable.

From the mediocre Spectre, Sam Smith’s Oscar-winning tune is, successfully, real fine. It in actuality real appears like a tragic Sam Smith ballad.

From Russia With Worship is the 2nd James Bond movie—and the first with an genuine music clean for the credits. The opening credits opted for a snappy acoustic rendition, whereas Matt Monro’s vocal music played over the stop credits. It is a great music, nevertheless not a standout.

Learn, I decide up that “A Stare to a Break” is fun and dancey and in actuality Duran Duran, nevertheless I silent must always recount it is miles a neglected replacement not having A Stare to a Break co-megastar Grace Jones singing this one.

Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson has the most realistic likely say for a Bond music, and “The World Is Now not Satisfactory” is among the greater-case scenarios in phrases of blending the current Bond vibe with a rock band. It is unfortunate, alternatively, that—very equivalent to the movie it represents—it is not precisely a standout within the franchise.

Here is inspiring entry, obvious—this music comes from the 1967 parody flick, Casino Royale. It starred a rogues gallery of Hollywood greats of the time like Peter Sellers, David Niven, and Orson Welles. This vibrant tune, clean by Burt Baccharach and conducted by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, is simplistic, nevertheless it could well decide up you within the mood for a silly Bond spoof.

It is in actuality pleasing that Adele’s 2012 music used to be the first Bond theme to bewitch an Oscar for Simplest Usual Song. Is it factual? Damn correct it is miles. At the time, Adele used to be coasting on the success of her myth-breaking album, 21.

Sheryl Crow is definitely an unexpected replacement for a Bond music, namely since it doesn’t in actuality grab her overall vibe as a solo artist (the dripping strings stop, alternatively, lift to mind Bobbie Genty’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” a music Crow later coated). But she nails the sultry vocals with a namely ’90s ennui. You decide up the sense that Crow doesn’t in actuality care both methodology what happens tomorrow to come.

Gladys Knight is an R&B queen—and her strive at a Bond tune brings some essential soul to what would maybe also very successfully be an overwrought and bloated theme music. Certain, it has all of the trappings of a treacly ’80s like music (the production is bloated with keyboards and backing vocals), nevertheless Knight silent makes it horny—and the video proves she will pull of a tux comely successfully.

Jack White and Alicia Keys’s duet is the finest two-hander within the movie franchise, and the Quantum of Solace theme is among the (factual) correct rock songs within the Bond catalog. It is a substantial mix of White’s goth-adjoining rock and Keyes’s soulful say. It works severely greater in observe than one would demand, nevertheless it is not precisely basically the most memorable Bond tune.

Tina Turner is the most realistic likely replacement for a Bond theme music. “GoldenEye,” which accompanied Pierce Brosnan’s debut as 007, is slinky, horny, and such as Shirley Bassey’s three songs. While Turner’s vocals must always not as highly effective as Bassey’s, her instrument blends successfully with the enormous orchestrations. That it is both such as a classic Bond tune—whereas also standing out as a ’90s sex jam—makes it the most realistic likely aggregate.

There could be a motive why this music appears like an outlier among the other Bond tunes: While it used to be written by Bond composer John Barry, it wasn’t former within the outlet credits of On Her Majesty’s Secret Carrier—which is on the total basically the most misplaced sight of Bond movie, since it is miles the finest one who starred actor George Lazenby. This music is one less difficult gem, due to Louis Armstrong’s iconic vocals.

This could be a controversial placement, nevertheless I stand by it. The theme from Octopussy—which, for understandable reasons, doesn’t portion a title with the movie—is classic AM Gold and a bona fide pop hit. It would maybe well be basically the most anti-James Bond theme music within the total franchise, which serves this music successfully.

Diamonds Are Forever is identified for being Sean Connery’s remaining movie within the Eon-produced movies (he’d return in 1983’s By no diagram Advise By no diagram Again, a kind-of remake of Thunderball). It also served as Shirley Bassey’s 2nd shot at Bond theme music responsibilities. While it is greater than “Moonraker” and fewer iconic than “Goldfinger,” this jam is an earworm that can doubtless not leave your head any time soon.