Re -Train Your Brain To Happiness: 23 James Bond Themes And How They Charted

It was officially announced today that Sam Smith has recorded the theme for the 24th James Bond film, Spectre.

Writing’s on the Wall was co-written by Smith and Jimmy Napes and will be released on September 25. Spectre will be out on October 26.

Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli released a statement saying “Sam and Jimmy have written the most inspirational song for Spectre and with Sam’s extraordinary vocal performance, Writing’s On The Wall will surely be considered one of the greatest Bond songs of all time.”

Smith said “This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honoured to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song. I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible line up of some of my biggest musical inspirations. I hope you all enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it.”

So the big question is, can Writing’s on the Wall become the first Bond theme to ever top the British singles chart and only the second to do it in the U.S. Smith, along with Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, form the trio of artists whose albums have been near the top of both country’s album charts since their release over 60 weeks ago for Smith and Sheeran and 45 weeks ago for Swift. He is hot right now and, if the song is good, it has an excellent chance of being a record setter.

Here is a ranking of the James Bond themes as they charted in Australia:
Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey (1964 / #2)
You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra (1967 / #2)
For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton (1981 / #2)
Nobody Does It Better (from The Spy Who Loves Me) – Carly Simon (1977 / #3)
Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney and Wings (1973 / #4) (below)
Die Another Day – Madonna (2002 / #4)
Skyfall – Adele (2012 / #5)
A View to a Kill – Duran Duran (1985 / #6)
Thunderball – Tom Jones (1965 / #13)
The Living Daylights – a-ha (1987 / #29)
Another Way to Die (from Quantum of Silence) – Alicia Keys & Jack White (2008 / #29)
GoldenEye – Tina Turner (1995 / #72)
All Time High (from Octopussy) – Rita Coolidge (1983 / #80)
Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow (1997 / #84)

Those that did not chart in Australia:
Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey
James Bond Theme – John Berry Orchestra
From Russia With Love – Matt Monro
We Have All the Time in the World (from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) – Louis Armstrong
The Man With the Golden Gun – Lulu (1975)
Moonraker – Shirley Bassey (1979)
License to Kill – Gladys Knight (1989)
The World is Not Enough – Garbage (1999)
You Know My Name (from Casino Royale) – Chris Cornell

Here is a ranking of the James Bond themes as they charted in the U.S.:
A View to a Kill – Duran Duran (1985 / #1)
Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney and Wings (1973 / #2)
Nobody Does It Better (from The Spy Who Loves Me) – Carly Simon (1977 / #2)
For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton (1981 / #4)
Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey (1964 / #8)
Die Another Day – Madonna (2002 / #8)
Skyfall – Adele (2012 / #8)
Thunderball – Tom Jones (1965 / #25)
All Time High (from Octopussy) – Rita Coolidge (1983 / #36)
You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra (1967 / #44)
Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey (1971 / #57)
You Know My Name (from Casino Royale) – Chris Cornell (2006 / #79)
Another Way to Die (from Quantum of Silence) – Alicia Keys & Jack White (2008 / #81)
GoldenEye – Tina Turner (1995 / #102)

Those that did not chart in the U.S.:
James Bond Theme – John Berry Orchestra
From Russia With Love – Matt Monro
We Have All the Time in the World (from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) – Louis Armstrong
The Man With the Golden Gun – Lulu (1975) (below).
Moonraker – Shirley Bassey (1979)
The Living Daylights – a-ha (1987)
License to Kill – Gladys Knight (1989)
Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow (1997)
The World is Not Enough – Garbage (1999)

In Britain, it’s a different story as only two of the themes did not chart:
Skyfall – Adele (2012 / #2 U.K.)
A View to a Kill – Duran Duran (1985 / #2 U.K.)
We Have All the Time in the World (from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) – Louis Armstrong (1969 / #3 U.K.)
Die Another Day – Madonna (2002 / #3 U.K.)
The Living Daylights – a-ha (1987 / #5 U.K.)
License to Kill – Gladys Knight (1989 / #6 U.K.)
You Know My Name (from Casino Royale) – Chris Cornell (2006 / #7 U.K.)
Nobody Does It Better (from The Spy Who Loves Me) – Carly Simon (1977 / #7 U.K.)
For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton (1981 / #8 U.K.)
Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney and Wings (1973 / #9 U.K.)
Another Way to Die (from Quantum of Silence) – Alicia Keys & Jack White (2008 / #9 U.K.)
GoldenEye – Tina Turner (1995 / #10 U.K.)
You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra (1967 / #11 U.K.)
The World is Not Enough – Garbage (1999 / #11 U.K.)
Tomorrow Never Dies – Sheryl Crow (1997 / #12 U.K.)
James Bond Theme – John Berry Orchestra (1963 / #13 U.K.)
From Russia With Love – Matt Monro (1963 / #20 U.K.)
Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey (1964 / #21 U.K.)
Thunderball – Tom Jones (1965 / #35 U.K.)
Diamonds Are Forever – Shirley Bassey (1971 / #38 U.K.)
All Time High (from Octopussy) – Rita Coolidge (1983 / #75 U.K.)

Those that didn’t chart in the U.K.:
The Man With the Golden Gun – Lulu (1975)
Moonraker – Shirley Bassey (1979)