All 25 James Bond Themes, Ranked.

I’ve been watching James Bond movies and listening to their themes for just about all 25 years of my life. I’m not joking when I say that there is literal home movie footage of my brother and I dancing to them as children no older than five years old. So while I hesitate to use the term “expert,” (since being “an expert in James Bond theme songs” would destine me to a sad existence indeed), I definitely have my opinions about them. With No Time to Die finally arriving next week, I wanted to write something up that felt celebratory. Ranking the Bond movies felt like too much work, ranking the Bond actors is too boring, ranking the Bond cars and gadgets is a little too nerdy, and ranking the Bond girls would get me in trouble with many different people, so here we are.

25. The Man with the Golden Gun — To quote someone from a film podcast I recently heard, “How did James Bond survive the Roger Moore era?” Listening to this song, I really don’t know. If this song is an indication of anything, it’s that the best thing this movie gave us is a game mode in the GoldenEye video game for the N64. That game mode rules. This song sucks. Hard.

24. For Your Eyes Only — For some reason, this movie was in inexplicably high rotation when I was a kid. I don’t understand our attachment to it as kids, but the fact that nostalgia doesn’t move this song anywhere up the list should tell you how much I dislike this one. A skip, every time.

23. All Time High — Believe it or not, this song is not the worst part about the Bond film it belongs to, which is none other than Octopussy. Not by a long shot. In a movie with that title, (who is an actual main character), where Bond infiltrates a palace in India via hot air balloon, this song is something of a High point (couldn’t resist), which is sad.

22. Moonraker — James Bond in space! Now there’s an elevator pitch that never fails to raise some eyebrows. Not even Shirley Bassey, who was apparently called in last minute, can save this song. Her voice is enough to make it listenable, but nothing can save the awkward songwriting. Props, though, for at least trying to write a song around the word “Moonraker.” Not many would be brave enough to try.

21. You Only Live Twice — On paper, this song should be a lot higher. John Barry and Nancy Sinatra! What’s not to love? Well, the “Oriental-inspired” instrumentation and motifs, for one thing. Look, this movie already has a lot of problematic things going on; this song only adds to the list. There are nice moments in it, and there’s a different version which was arranged for a record release, which cuts all of the Oriental-isms, but it only further reveals that the song’s melodies just aren’t that strong.

20. License to Kill — While I do think this song (and its accompanying movie) are underrated/overhated, it’s still hard to place this song above many others on the list. It’s got the grandiose feel that a 1989 ballad from Gladys Knight should have, but there’s still something about it that, like the film, just come across a little goofy. The chorus switches to a major key and therefore robs itself of being a better song, on top of some silly writing.

19. Writing’s on the Wall — The very definition of forgettable, Sam Smith’s ballad is just cribbing from ye old John Barry formula. This is, of course, par for the course, but listen to this song and then see if you can remember a melody from it one hour later. You can’t. While not offensive in any way, it’s mind-boggling to me that this song won an Academy Award, but I’ll take it as a token award for all of the other, much better, Bond themes that have gone unrecognized over the years.

18. The Living Daylights — I can sometimes almost fool myself, while listening to this song, that it’s a quality Bond theme. Almost. When I stop squinting (with my ears…), it’s clear that this is just a lesser version of A View to a Kill (see you further up the list, Duran Duran). There are elements of a true banger in here, but there’s a softness to the production and songwriting that doesn’t allow for it to hit the way it could. I’m all about advocating the overlooked, underrated, thing that lives in the shadow of something else, but I can’t with this one. There are also weird moments where this song reminds me of Phil Collins on the Tarzan soundtrack? Probably just me, though. Not as bad as the movie itself, but still, not great.

17. Nobody Does It Better — For a Roger Moore-era ballad, this one is surprisingly good. It works the film’s title, “The Spy Who Loved Me,” cleverly into its lyrics (no mean feat), and gives you the sentimentality of a ballad without taking the tempo to a grinding halt (see: All Time High). When all is said and done, it’s just strangely catchy.

16. We Have All the Time in the World/OHMSS — On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the black sheep of the Bond family. It’s the only film of George Lazenby’s career as 007, it has two theme songs, kinda?, one of which is an instrumental, which hadn’t been done since the beginning of the Connery era. But I feel weirdly fine about putting both songs at this one spot. While they’re very different from each other, one is a John Barry instrumental that pairs the classic big band with some synths and never quite gets there, the other is a Louis Armstrong ballad, they’re both pretty… fine. Armstrong and Barry are both legends in their respective lanes, but neither are at their best here: I prefer Louis in smaller jazz combo settings and Barry’s piece, as I mentioned, never really comes together.

15. The World is Not Enough — The movie may be a big ‘ol OOF, but the theme isn’t that bad on its own. It’s a product of its time, but in a way that’s kinda charming instead of cringey. It’s got energy, at the very least, and a genuinely strong chorus, backed by serviceable instrumentation. Nothing amazing, but far from the worst in its field.

14. Die Another Day — If there ever was a guilty pleasure of a Bond theme, this is it. You wouldn’t expect a total deconstruction of Bond themes from a film that involves the most ludicrous plotline in the franchise, but that’s what Madonna delivers. While certainly not a crowd-pleaser, Madonna’s techno-ization of this Bond theme is unlike any other in the franchise’s history. It’s surprisingly bold, with its vocal effects, glitchy production, and structure, given the movie it was made for. It has its moment of total cheese, like the “Analyze this, analyze this, Sigmund Freud” section, which is much more in line with how ridiculous the final Brosnan film is, but at the heart of it, it’s catchy and different and it gets me singing along every time. In fact, I think I’ll go listen to it right now.

13. Tomorrow Never Dies — If I had to pick a sleeper Bond theme, it’s this one. Sheryl Crow is a weird choice, but she totally works here, bringing the husk and the belt in equal measure. I find this one really enjoyable, with the various elements of classic Bond themes being used with restraint here. This song really blurs the line between ballad and banger. The only thing holding it back is how linear it is, like it’s missing a really great B section to catapult it to new heights.

12. Another Way to Die — Another black sheep, this is the only Bond theme to feature a duet, a title it will probably hold for the foreseeable future. Lots of people hate on this song, and Quantum of Solace in general, and I’ve never really understood it. I think Jack White and Alicia Keys complement each other, all juxtaposed with the big band sounds we expect from a Bond theme. Jack White’s guitar sound on this song is just too dirty to be dismissed and Keys really goes for it in certain sections. It’s a little out of left field, all things told, but I find myself returning to it nevertheless.

11. From Russia With Love — Honestly, I don’t think this song gets enough credit. Shirley Bassey gets all the glory for setting the standard for Bond theme songs, but From Russia With Love was really the first to do it. The romantic, sweeping orchestra behind Monro’s silky smooth croon definitely set the bar for films to come. It just so happens that the very next movie raised that bar several times over. Like its movie, this one always lives in the shadow of the films that came before and after, but there’s no denying its status as a classic.

10. Thunderball — If you had asked me a few years ago, I would have easily put this one in the top five. Tom Jones delivers the goods alongside peak John Barry, for another ballad-banger hybrid. But my most recent listens have brought something to my attention that I had never focused on before: the lyrics. Now, if we were to nitpick about the lyrics in the twenty five Bond themes, we would be here all day, but Thunderball just has some lines that I really can’t get past. For some reason, Tom Jones crooning, “He knows the meaning of success / His needs are more, so he gives less,” makes James Bond sound like Jeff Bezos, not an international spy. Other than that, it’s a great song, with a great vocal performance.

9. No Time to Die — Normally, I would be nervous putting the most recent Bond theme this high on the list. But, due to our present circumstances, we’ve had this theme to sit with for a while, patiently waiting for the (now soon arriving) day when we would get to hear it in a movie theater. So, with plenty of time to absorb, digest, and compare, I can honestly say that this one belongs in the top ten. Eilish, at 18, is the youngest ever performer of a Bond theme (a record she’ll probably always hold), but you honestly can’t tell from her performance here. It’s relatively understated, if you put it next to something like Tom Jones on Thunderball, but that’s exactly why it works so well. Billie’s voice isn’t made for the Bassey, Jones-type belt, so playing it low key, letting the emotion hit us in other ways, is the right move.

8. GoldenEye — Tina Turner over a track written by Bono and The Edge? Yes, please. There’s something timeless about GoldenEye’s theme, vintage yet modern, in a way that perfectly suits the film. It’s explosive, yet sensitive and sneaky in the right ways. Any of the awkwardness from the Brosnan era is totally absent in this song, leaving us with a true touchstone for this moment in the franchise’s history.

7. Skyfall — While I’m sometimes tempted to think this song is overrated, I think it’s really just over-represented. Yet Skyfall’s ability to crossover into the mainstream, thanks to a fantastic film and vocal performance from Adele, is a testament to its power and genius. While Adele doesn’t go for broke here, as we certainly know she can, the song has a great sense of progression that keeps it moving through its surprising length. With some of the best writing of all the Bond themes, Skyfall will always be an emblem of the Craig era and it deserves to be.

6. You Know My Name — There’s an undeniable measure of nostalgic bias in my placement here, but what can you do? As someone who isn’t even a fan of grunge music, this song delivers the edge and power that Daniel Craig delivered to 007 in Casino Royale. Another theme with lyrics that are thematic, clever, and not outrageous, You Know My Name is distinct from its contemporaries, yet fits right into the Bond theme legacy with a smart blend of orchestral and rock instrumentation.

5. A View to a Kill — If you thought All Time High was a bright spot of a bad film, here comes Duran Duran’s theme, which is just about the only reason to ever sit down and watch this movie, besides the campy gold that is Christopher Walken’s turn as a Bond villain. This song’s sound is unexpected, yet infectious, with hooks for days. A-ha just wishes they could make something as groovy and hard-hitting as what we get here. This one stands with the best of ‘em.

4. Diamonds Are Forever — This song did not need to go this hard, but it does. It’s got a rocking groove once it gets going, a fantastic performance from Shirley Bassey, and some of the best work from John Barry. If all of that weren’t enough, it makes for a mean sample in Kanye West’s Diamonds from Sierra Leone.

3. Live and Let Die — Perhaps one day, we can all stop pretending that this isn’t the highlight of Paul McCartney’s solo career. Live and Let Die is an oddly progressive theme that ebbs and flows with a creative spunk most Bond themes couldn’t dream of. Every section of the song is brilliant and it never wears out its welcome. Also, if we were factoring the opening title visuals that go with each song, this one would win, hands down.

2. James Bond Theme — It almost feels wrong including this song on this list. It’s almost not fair to the twenty three songs below it. Almost. Besides it being a rare instrumental theme, the James Bond Theme’s riffs, sound, and style are also baked into the DNA of every other 007 soundtrack, making it so much more than just a theme song for Dr. No. That being said, when we just look at the song itself, in its context as a theme, it’s still quite remarkable. Those guitars and horns are unforgettable, iconic enough to build twenty four film scores around, apparently. Short and to the point, it’s the essence of 007 wrapped up in one song.

1. Goldfinger — As much as I would love to wrap up this list with a hot take, I can’t. This is the best Bond theme. There’s no getting around it. The lyrics are brilliant, Shirley Bassey gives us a performance the world has never forgotten, and the instrumentation (those wailing horns!) hits like a train. While I am certainly up for debating its film’s place in the rankings of the 007 franchise, any argument I can come up with against this song being at the top spot withers under the power of Bassey’s final note.