Jack White & Alicia Keyes – "Another Way to Die", 9. It's not surprising that Jay-Z and Kanye West sampled this song in "Diamonds From Sierra Leone." The 10 Best James Bond Movies on Netflix, Ranked, Radiohead Shares the 'Spectre' Bond Theme Song You Deserve, Sam Smith Will Sing the James Bond Theme Song for 'Spectre'. Instead of offering a memorable Bond song, we got what sounds like a forgettable track from a late '90s grunge rock compilation of theme song covers. Bow down. It just does nothing to prep me for a secret agent movie that's about to go down. It's way better as an end credits song than an opening credits song. It's a polarizing song: extremely true to Cornell's instincts as an artist coupled with Bondian horn blasts, but maybe too Buzz Cuts for diehard Bond-lovers. Shirley Bassey is the Queen of Bond theme songs, with several entries on this list. "A View to a Kill" holds the distinction of being the only James Bond theme song to hit No. A decidedly 2nd rate Bond film with a top-class and gorgeous theme. Look, I get that it's fun and dancey and very Duran Duran, but I still have to say it's a missed opportunity not having A View to a Kill co-star Grace Jones singing this one. Listen to 007 James Bond Music song in high quality & download 007 James Bond Music song on Gaana.com Close. Esquire participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Following the worldwide success of his debut album In the Lonely Hour, British singer-songwriter Sam Smith was selected to record the theme song for the 24th James Bond film Spectre. The theme from Octopussy—which, for understandable reasons, does not share a title with the film—is classic AM Gold and a bona fide smooth pop hit. Here's another song in the catalog that takes all of the Bond cliches: big orchestra with swooning strings, a catchy tempo, and a big and bold vocal performance from Shirley Bassey. After the Barry numbers, the quality of the music declines sharply, with the only really first-rate non-Barry Bond theme being Bill Conti's "For Your Eyes Only". But it lacks the gravitas and drama of the best theme songs. It's also corny as hell. Sometimes strings, sometimes horns. At best, it's an ersatz "Skyfall.". All Tracks (248); James Bond Tracks Using Samples; James Bond Tracks that were Sampled Jack White & Alicia Keyes – "Another Way to Die", 8. There are few honors more coveted in popular music today than being asked to perform the James Bond theme song. Monro's voice is front-and-center, allowing it to really soar over the orchestra serving as a sonic foundation. Diamonds Are Forever might be best known for being Sean Connery's final film in the Eon-produced films (he'd return in 1983's Never Say Never Again, a sort-of remake of Thunderball), it also served as Shirley Bassey's second outing as a Bond theme song singer. This might be a controversial placement, but I stand by it. No, was released in 1962, the "Bond song" was a simple theme, but in the decades since, it's become an unparalleled honor. This sets the template for great Bond songs, and holds up exceedingly well as a cinematic masterwork. And that's okay! Nowadays, only top artists get asked to sing the James Bond theme song, including Adele, Madonna, and Sam Smith. It's Autotuned to hell, and actually has the singer inexplicably purring, "Sigmund Freud: Analyze this." It's so evocative, building layer upon layer effortlessly, anchored by a first-class vocal performance from Bassey. But where's the danger? Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from Bond. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Here's When to Expect 'Lupin' Part 2 on Netflix, Here's What's Fact and What's Fiction in 'Lupin', 'Umbrella Academy' Season 3 Is Already Set Up Well, 'The Office' Showrunner on Possibility of Reboot. That’s part of what makes them so great—the ridiculous names, the mustache-twirling villains. It's simply unremarkable—not terrible, not great, ultimately forgettable when compared to other songs from this early Bond era. Asking her to sing a more conventional ballad over an orchestra is a treat in terms of stretching her artistic skill set. Despite her being a super on-the-nose selection, she pulls it off and delivers not only an all-time great Bond theme, but one of the best Adele songs in a catalog crowded with great songs. Shirley Bassey – "Diamonds Are Forever", 1. This particular combo, however, is mostly unremarkable. But what distinguishes the wheat from the chaff is a Bond theme song's ability to transcend its limited role as the accompaniment during the title sequence. The Story Behind the 'Stranger Things' Theme Song, Every Spider-Man Movie Ranked from Worst to Best, The Story of 'Unsolved Mysteries' CreepyTheme Song. Gladys Knight's sultry R&B nails that facet of the protagonist's character. Those moody strings that open this tune are a perfect fit for Nancy Sinatra's brooding voice. Tom Jones seems like the perfect vocalist for a James Bond tune. The sex? From "Goldfinger" to "No Time to Die," we break down the best tracks playing alongside 007. 1,548 words Is Billie Eilish’s new Bond song, “No Time to Die,” the worst Bond song ever? This is the worst of those entries. Instead, she phoned in this dance track for Pierce Brosnan's last (and worst) Bond film, Die Another Day. It's a striking psychedelic number, so perfectly late '60s and darkly romantic. While it's better than "Moonraker" and less iconic than "Goldfinger," this one is an earworm that will likely not leave your head any time soon. Given that this movie will close out the Daniel Craig era of Bond, the 18-year-old Eilish—who has so far been near-universally beloved by both taste-making critics and a growing legion of hardcore fans—has either been presented with her first real opportunity to swing and miss, or a chance to advance her music career to even loftier heights.Some of these Bond theme songs have made their mark on film history, while others have faded into obscurity. There's more rock 'n' roll swagger in this duet than the Bond franchise is accustomed. Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage. No disrespect to Madge, but this just does not work at all. She's also the only singer to appear in the opening credits of a Bond film—and it's one of the few that did not incorporate John Barry's Bond instrumentals. Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage. Great Bond theme songs can overshadow mediocre Bond movies, while mediocre Bond theme songs can start great Bond movies on the wrong foot. The intrigue? Gladys Knight is an R&B queen, and her attempt at a Bond tune brings some necessary soul to what could be an overwrought and bloated theme song. The build-up to the chorus makes me want to pump my fist in the air and crush some air drums. Spencer Dukoff is the deputy editor of content strategy at Men's Health where leads audience development efforts across all platforms for the magazine. Tina Turner is a perfect choice for a bond theme song, and this one that accompanied Pierce Brosnan's debut as 007 is slinky and sexy and reminiscent of Shirley Bassey's three songs. Points for creativity, but the guys from "Take On Me" are probably the strangest choice for a Bond theme on this list. We may earn a commission from these links. Ever since Dr.No hit theaters in 1962, the James Bond movies have given us more memorable songs than any other franchise. History will not look kindly on that choice, but Radiohead's exclusion makes their dejected theme that much more powerful. Radiohead – "Spectre" 6. From the most recent film in the series, the generally mediocre Spectre, Sam Smith's Oscar-winning tune is, well, just fine. You get the sense that Crow doesn't really care either way what happens tomorrow. Britain's Royal Philharmonic Orchestrareleased an album of several Bond songs p… 1. This attempt by the venerable Welsh belter fits the mold of a Bond theme, with blaring horns and minor-key, lounge singer panache. That it works as a standalone song—one that got an equally memorable cover from Guns N' Roses—proves this track is bigger than the movie franchise for which it was written. There is also a song by A-ha. For any performer, recording a Bond tune guarantees a spot in music history. “No Time to Die” caps the Daniel Craig Bond era with a haunting slow burn of a ballad that melds Eilish’s signature vocals with classic Bond orchestration. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson has the perfect voice for a Bond song, and "The World Is Not Enough" is one of the better-case scenarios when it comes to blending the typical Bond vibe with a rock band. Carly Simon – "Nobody Does It Better". A bop is a bop is a bop. The history of James Bond theme songs all boil down to one, simple construct of music: talented singers belting out tunes that are either supporting the heroes or lamenting the villains. The synthy horns definitely date "License to Kill," which sits on the slow-jammy side of the Bond theme song spectrum. Sign me up. There are several bands/musicians with this name. Billie Eilish recorded the theme for the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, at just 18 years old, making her the youngest artist ever to perform an original 007 theme tune. Bassey's the queen of Bond for a reason, and this is the standout among her oeuvre. Maybe Madonna should have had her shot at a James Bond tune when she was an up-and-coming '80s pop star. Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better," Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only," and Rita Coolidge's "All Time High" offer their own version of Bond style, and it feels like a blood-relative of, say, Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name." Shirley Bassey – "Diamonds Are Forever" 2. Paul McCartney & Wings – "Live and Let Die". It's gauzy, a clear throwback to classic Bond ballads. Any Bond theme that prominently features smooth saxophone over a saucy trumpet is making a choice—and it's the wrong one. A guitar-based pop-rock quartet on Sony's Work label. 007 James Bond Music is a English album released on Oct 2012. And that it's both reminiscent of a classic Bond tune while also standing out as a '90s sex jam makes it the perfect combination. 'Cobra Kai' Stars Open Up About Awkward First Kiss, Every Marvel Easter Egg in 'WandaVision' Trailer, How Miguel Beat Kyler in the 'Cobra Kai' Finale, Netflix Just Ordered Season 4 of ‘Cobra Kai, 26 New Shows We Can’t Wait to See This Year, 18. Goldfinger, the third film in the Bond series, was the first to include an original song over its opening credits, thus setting the standard for the franchise. This song feels more like a standard than any of the rest thanks to Louis Armstrong's iconic vocals. Browse James Bond Music. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Including Madonna, Jack White, Shirley Bassey, and everyone in between. That he doesn't lean into Bond musical tropes and still manages to turnaround a song that works within the franchise while simultaneously being enjoyable in and of itself is an achievement, and a tribute to Armstrong's enduring brilliance. It avoids all of the theme song cliches, eschewing those big horns and jazzy melodies for something more contemporary and folky for the 1977 film. But she nails the sultry vocals with a particularly '90s ennui. That voice! Perhaps to announce a grittier 007, the late Chris Cornell was brought things into grunge things up. However, it sounds more like Billie is constraining herself to Bond World than Bond World is adjusting itself to Billie, which would've probably resulted in a more memorable song. In the first two movies, they were something of an after thought, but Shirley's theme tune to 'Goldfinger' went POW! The group made their movie debut playing themselves in a scene in Rowan Atkinson's James Bond spoof Johnny Englishfor which they also contributed the track … Together Tania Davis (violin), Eos Counsell (violin), Elspeth Hanson (viola) and Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cello) are BOND, the original electric string quartet. This captures less 007, the action star and more 007, the man of mystery. But the song never really...goes anywhere? James Bond on WhoSampled. While Turner's vocals aren't as powerful as Bassey's, her instrument blends well with the big orchestrations. Bond has been described as the best-selling string quartet of all time, selling over 4 million records. 007 James Bond Music Album has 1 song sung by Secret Agent. As much as we think of JB as an elite assassin and secret agent, he's also a bonafide loverman! Lulu's pop stylings made her a blue-eyed soul icon, and her biggest hits are peppy and vibrant. A good song, perhaps overshadowed by the film itself. There's a reason this one feels like an outlier among the other Bond tunes: While it was written by Bond composer John Barry, it wasn't used in the opening credits of On Her Majesty's Secret Service—which is often the most overlooked Bond film since it's the only one that starred actor George Lazenby. … James Bond movie theme songs are the cinematic equivalents of paperback book-series covers — … Almost always a bravura vocal performance. Nancy Sinatra – "You Only Live Twice" 5. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra recorded several albums with Bond music and performs in premieres and special events of Bond films. Like most of Wings' best stuff, it's essentially 3 songs in one, which helps to cover the spectrum of Bond theme moods: sentimental, frenetic, and charming. It's just not a Bond song! But it simply sounds like a rehash of its predecessor, an unremarkable ballad about a man who strikes "like thunderball," which doesn't actually make any sense. Adele – "Skyfall" 3. If a Bond theme song could function as a first dance song at a wedding, it's not really a Bond theme song. But while Eilish may still be a kid, she’s no amateur—as her 2020 Grammys sweep well proved. It's also light, breezy, and a little sexy—much like many of Roger Moore's Bond movies. But Crow is an odd choice as more of a pop singer-songwriter (rather than a belter or crooner) and it's hard to get past that. The slowed-down interlude is the best part, but it lasts like 10 seconds. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. Louis Armstrong – "We Have All the Time in the World", 3. When Bond songs are explicitly about the character of James Bond, they can tend to fall flat lyrically. It's a nice song, but not a standout. This was the song that made James Bond's theme music come alive. The only James Bond song to top the Hot 100, "A View to a Kill" is a memorable song from one of the series' least memorable films. The good parts about this song? But never forget the classics: Play, Classified, Shine, Born, Bond Remixed, Explosive: The Best of Bond Another Bond song in the bunch that earned an Oscar nomination, Sheena Easton's contribution to the franchise remains one of the biggest hits of the Bond themes. Not awful, but easily the least memorable of her contributions to the Bond pantheon. It's also one of two Duran Duran No. But ‘Thunderball’, the third ‘attached’ theme song to a Bond film is strangely inert, especially when considered directly alongside Shirley Bassey’s ‘Goldfinger’. It's a great mix of White's goth-adjacent rock and Keyes's soulful voice. Probably the most well-known Bond theme song in recent years, Adele recorded Skyfall shortly after the massive success of her second album 21 – … Perhaps it was too interesting to be a Bond song! Every James Bond Theme Song, Ranked 1. 2. It works a lot better in practice than one would expect, but it's not exactly the most memorable Bond tune. An Australian/British string quartet that specialises in classical crossover music. So while there are two dozen Bond theme tunes, their quality varies pretty wildly, from the truly awful (sorry, Madonna), to the deeply dull (Sam Smith), to the true classics, like Shirley Bassey’s “Goldfinger.” Here are all the James Bond themes, ranked from the stinkers to the gems. It may be the best song on this list, but it's not the best Bond theme song because it has an entire life outside of the film. While even the singer's biggest fans are unlikely to consider "You Know My Name" one of his best tunes, the high-energy song has an exotic swagger that fits Bond perfectly and the horn motifs hark back to the classic Bond era. Yeah, I suppose. A new Bond movie fuels years of speculation. It became the first James Bond theme to hit #1 on the U.K. pop singles chart. Consequence of Sound proudly ranks all the James Bond theme songs, including Billie Eilish's "No Time to Die", which will open the upcoming Bond film of the same name. "Live and Let Die" is unlike any other Bond theme song (or really like most songs), and that's precisely why it takes the number one spot. It's there. Note: Not every Bond theme is a Bond song. Every classic action film series has great music, and James Bond is no different. Carly Simon – "Nobody Does It Better", 15. Coupled with strummed acoustic guitar and an electric guitar playing that same opening string melody, Nancy Sinatra's Bond song takes you right back to the Swinging '60s. Shirley Manson singing in a Bond movie? BOND Quartet's songs: Listen to songs by BOND Quartet on Myspace, Stream Free Online Music by BOND Quartet