- While we, of course, watch the James Bond movies for all the action, it has to be said that the theme songs are incredibly catchy
- From Adele to Dame Shirley Bassey, the franchise has attracted the biggest names to submit songs
- Here are all 25 James Bond theme songs in order
James Bond may be the movie industry’s most suave spy, but let’s face it – 007 would be nothing without a catchy opening track to start his adventures.
While the original theme song itself is one of the most famous film compositions ever, plenty of our favorite artists have been tasked with penning a catchy track to accompany the movie’s title credits.
If, like us, your memory can’t quite stretch back far enough to remember all 25 songs so far, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
Starting with the last film, No Time to Die, here are all the James Bond theme songs in order.
Billie Eilish – No Time to Die, from 2021’s No Time to Die
At just 18 years of age, Billie Eilish became the youngest artist to ever write and record a James Bond theme song.
Penning No Time to Die with her brother Finneas O’Connell, the track had its grand unveiling at the BRIT Awards in February 2020 – only for the No Time To Die film to be delayed 18 months to September 2021.
Despite the delay, the song went on to achieve phenomenal success, topping the UK Singles Chart and winning a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
No Time to Die also became Eilish and O’Connell’s first Best Original Song win at the Oscars – with their second being for Barbie’s What Was I Made For? in 2024.
Sam Smith – Writing’s on the Wall, from 2015’s Spectre
Although Sam Smith’s effort would go on to have huge chart success, it nearly wasn’t to be – as it was heavily rumored that Radiohead would be recording the theme song for Spectre.
However, the band had their effort turned down by producers, and it was Smith’s Writing’s on the Wall which was chosen instead.
Written with Jimmy Napes, the record went on to win both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
Before Smith’s track, no James Bond theme had reached number one in the UK – but Writing’s on the Wall entered the charts at the top spot on October 2, 2015.
Adele – Skyfall, from 2012’s Skyfall
If in doubt, get one of music’s beltiest divas to sing the Bond tune (see also: Dame Shirley Bassey).
Recorded shortly after the success of her second album, 21, Adele’s anthem Skyfall hit the number one spot in a whopping 11 countries.
It was also the first Bond theme to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Brit Award for British Single of the Year, Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Song, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. Phew!
Jack White and Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die, from 2008’s Quantum of Solace
Perhaps an unlikely duo, White Stripes frontman Jack White wrote the song for Quantum of Solace, and shared the vocals with R&B superstar Alicia Keys.
The gamble didn’t quite pay off though, and received a mixed reception from critics – with many saying it was a strange fit as a Bond theme song.
Chris Cornell – You Know My Name, from 2006’s Casino Royale
The year a fresh-faced Daniel Craig stepped up to the plate as 007 in Casino Royale, You Know My Name arguably became Chris Cornell’s best known song.
The Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman’s theme was highly praised in the media – with one critic labelling it “the best Bond theme since A View to a Kill”. High praise indeed!
Madonna – Die Another Day, from 2002’s Die Another Day
With Die Another Day being the last turn out for Pierce Brosnan as Bond, producers wanted to give him the send-off he deserved… so put Madge on the case.
Despite her theme song gaining a mixed reception from critics, if there’s one thing Madonna knows how to do, it’s put on a dramatic show – and that’s certainly what she did.
The song performed very well in the charts and marked a significant departure from the more traditional style of previous Bond themes.
Garbage – The World Is Not Enough, from 1999’s The World Is Not Enough
Scottish-American rock band Garbage offered us a ‘classic Bond’ style song.
The track reached a modest number 11 in the UK charts.
Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies, from 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies
Sheryl Crow had a fight on her hands with this tune – as several other artists were vying for the 1997 Bond theme song.
These included k.d lang, who’s similarly-titled song was instead used over the end credits.
Despite not getting a glowing reception, Crow’s offering still managed to pick up Golden Globe and Grammy nominations.
Tina Turner – GoldenEye, from 1995’s GoldenEye
We love a star-studded collaboration – and that’s what happened when Bono and The Edge got together with Tina Turner to create GoldenEye.
Penned by the U2 stars, the track was a massive hit for Turner, and even appeared on her album Wildest Dreams.
Gladys Knight – Licence To Kill, from 1989’s Licence To Kill
Much like Smith’s stroke of luck after pipping Radiohead to the post, Gladys Knight also got her Bond break thanks to another artist not coming up with the goods.
The singer was enlisted to perform the song for License To Kill after an earlier plan to have Eric Clapton and original Bond theme guitarist Vic Flick write a theme fell through.
Luckily, the faith in Knight paid off (of course), and the song was a big hit in Europe.
Based on the horn line from Goldfinger (see, what did we say about belty divas!), License to Kill is also the longest James Bond theme to date – sitting at 5 minutes 43 seconds.
A-ha – The Living Daylights, from 1987’s The Living Daylights
Look, you just can’t help but love A-ha.
The Take On Me hitmakers may have been an unusual choice, but they were chosen after an earlier track by the Pet Shop Boys was rejected by the studio.
The Norwegian band’s take on the Bond theme may be Europoppy, but it’s also one of their more enduring hits.
Duran Duran – A View To A Kill, from 1985’s A View To A Kill
One of many themes to be written with legendary Bond composer John Barry, Duran Duran smashed it out of the park with A View To A Kill.
Not only was it tantalisingly close to the top spot in the UK charts – sitting at number two for three weeks – it was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
Staggeringly, A View To A Kill remains the only Bond theme to have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 – quite the feat!
Rita Coolidge – All Time High, from 1983’s Octopussy
Marking the return of composer Barry, the title of the theme song is deliberately not the same as the movie’s – as it would apparently have been too much of a challenge to write a track called Octopussy (fair enough).
All Time High was also a milestone in the Bond franchise – as it was the first Bond theme to have an accompanying music video.
Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only, from 1981’s For Your Eyes Only
Remaining one of Sheena Easton’s best known songs, this nearly wasn’t the case.
An alternative theme had been recorded by Blondie – but the studio preferred this one, written by Bill Conti.
The track was also nominated for an Academy Award.
Shirley Bassey – Moonraker, from 1979’s Moonraker
Welsh powerhouse Shirley Bassey is synonymous with the Bond franchise – as she is the only singer to perform more than one theme song (but more on those later).
Moonraker was the third movie which she leant her vocals to. However, it was recorded at very short notice, after being offered to numerous other artists including Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis and Kate Bush.
For that reason, Bassey has never considered it to be her own song, and has performed it far less frequently than her other two Bond themes.
It was also rumored that her track No Good About Goodbye – from her 2009 album The Performance – was intended for Quantum of Solace, but those whispers were quickly put to bed. We can dream though, right?
Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better, from 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me
Confusingly for some fans at the time, Nobody Does It Better was the first Bond theme not to be named after its corresponding film since Dr No in 1962.
However, that didn’t put people off.
The song was a major hit, and was nominated for Golden Globe and Academy Awards.
And in 2004, Nobody Does It Better was listed as the 67th greatest film song ever by the American Film Institute.
Lulu – The Man With The Golden Gun, from 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun
Poor Barry.
After a string of successes – and, as we’ve seen, he would go on to have more! – the composer contributed what he considers to be his weakest musical contribution to the franchise with The Man With The Golden Gun.
Sung by Lulu, it is the only Bond theme not to have charted in either the UK or America.
Paul McCartney & Wings – Live and Let Die, from 1973’s Live and Let Die
It’s just a classic, isn’t it?
Showcasing Paul McCartney at his best, Live and Let Die also saw the singer being reunited with George Martin – the producer behind many of The Beatles’ biggest hits and most famous albums.
Charting at number two in the US and nine in the UK, it was the first Bond theme song to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Martin’s work on the track also saw him pick up the Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.
Shirley Bassey – Diamonds Are Forever, from 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever
Although this track is undoubtedly Bassey doing what she does best, producer Harry Saltzman was said to despise the song – allegedly due to the innuendo in the lyrics.
Louis Armstrong – We Have All The Time in the World, from 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Fans of the franchise will know that Louis Armstrong’s beautiful track was actually the secondary theme to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – as there was also a self-titled orchestral number, which remains unique amongst the post–From Russia with Love films.
Armstrong’s performance was written by Barry and Hal David, and the title is taken from the final words George Lazenby’s Bond utters in the film.
Nancy Sinatra – You Only Live Twice, from 1967’s You Only Live Twice
Nancy Sinatra has been described as “perfection” in this theme song.
It is widely considered to be one of the best Bond tracks ever, and has been widely re-recorded by other artists.
Tom Jones – Thunderball, from 1965’s Thunderball
Welsh powerhouse number two on the list, Tom Jones is also a man who knows how to give it some welly.
As the story goes, the singer is said to have fainted while belting the final high note of Thunderball (and ngl, we can definitely believe that).
Jones’s efforts may never have been heard by the world, however, as this was only the back-up track.
The original song, titled Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, fell through – but versions had been recorded by Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey (let someone else have a turn, Shirl!).
Shirley Bassey – Goldfinger, from 1964’s Goldfinger
See what we mean by Bassey being synonymous with Bond?
Named the 53rd best film song by the American Film Institute, Goldfinger is the only track by the singer to break the US top 40, spending a staggering 70 weeks in the charts.
It also peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart, and received the Bond series’ very first Grammy Award nomination – for Best Original Score from a Motion Picture or Television Show at the 7th Annual ceremony.
Matt Monro – From Russia with Love, from 1963’s From Russia with Love
This was the first Bond film for which Barry was the primary composer, with the title song sung by popular cabaret singer Matt Monro.
An instrumental version plays over the opening credits – the full song is first heard in the film over a radio, before playing as the closing credits roll.
A single by The John Barry Orchestra reached number 39 in the UK – but Monro’s version spent 13 weeks in the UK charts, peaking at number 20.
John Barry & Orchestra, Monty Norman – James Bond Theme, from 1962’s Dr. No
Although it is one of the most famous pieces of film music of all time, the James Bond theme isn’t the only song to play across the opening credits of Dr. No.
Two other pieces were played: an untitled bongo interlude, and a Calypso-flavored rendition of Three Blind Mice, titled Kingston Calypso. Due to this, Dr. No is the only film to have more than one opening theme.
However, the James Bond Theme reached number 13 in the UK Singles Chart, and remained in the charts for 13 weeks. It has featured in every single Bond film in some form or another since 1962.
