The witches and wizards who work their magic behind the scenes for the hugely popular James Bond franchise have perfected a secret recipe that has stood the test of time. Suave British actors in debonair dress, high-tech gadgets and cars, international espionage, and the cherry on top: a hit song crafted just for the movie by the most popular musicians of the day. When these elements combine, some James Bond films achieve legendary acclaim, but often, the title song exists as its own separate pop culture item thanks to the fame of the musicians behind them.

Some James Bond title songs set the tone for sleek, high-stakes action, and others set the tone for sorrowful, elegiac drama. Some become associated with the best of the franchise’s entries, and some fade into obscurity with time.

Here are eight of the best James Bond theme songs, ranked.

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8 A View To a Kill - Duran Duran

     Sourced via James Bond 007

Duran Duran’s song for the movie of the same name was the first time that pop artists would become drawn to the allure of doing a Bond theme, where it used to be classical vocalists. Their signature percussive brass and iconic guitar riffs brought the best of 80’s pop to a film that felt all the more explosive and exciting as a result. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t hold much of a candle to Duran Duran’s other music in terms of hype and technical quality. Famously, this was one of the earliest Bond songs to have a healthy run on the Billboard Top 100 songs for the United States.

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7 You Only Live Twice - Nancy Sinatra

     Sourced via The Exploder

A departure from previous vocalists, Nancy Sinatra’s understated but confident style defied the grandiose, show-stopper performances from previous artists to tackle Bond themes. Her less-is-more approach to the balance between vocals and instruments created a uniquely clear and affecting composition. Some elements like the bamboo xylophone pay homage to the film’s Japanese setting and make it all the more effective. Sinatra’s entry into the Bond series, with its memorable vocal arrangement, became foundational to the way that future artists would approach the Bond themes.

6 Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney

     Sourced via Looper

Bringing the sound of the Beatles to James Bond worked almost perfectly for this film. The technical talent of Paul McCartney, Wings, and legendary producer George Martin are on full display on this track, but it still leaves something to be desired. At times, different elements in the song feel a little too in competition with each other, making for a somewhat confused result. Still, the contribution of rock music to James Bond has often been done poorly, and this is not one of those examples.

5 No Time To Die - Billie Eilish

     Sourced via The Chicago Sun-Times

Billie Eilish became the youngest musician ever to helm a Bond theme, and the result, made in collaboration with legendary composer Hans Zimmer, became immediately iconic for fans of the musician and paid tribute to the legacy of the series for long-time fans. As a vocalist, Eilish follows the best instincts of previous performers with a soft, soulful touch, and elevates her rendition with the producing genius of Zimmer and her brother Finneas. The heart of a great Bond theme is how much it reflects the tone of the film, and in this case, many felt that the song was too introspective and downtrodden.

4 You Know My Name - Chris Cornell

     MGM

There is another, equally important heart to a great Bond theme: the hype factor. These movies are high-budget, explosive spectacles for a reason, and Chris Cornell’s You Know My Name served as the perfect introduction for a youthful, effective-but-messy new Bond played by Daniel Craig. It’s just as grand and exciting as previous Bond themes, but Cornell’s instincts for rousing a crowd and delivering punch after punch in his music made this one of the most exciting Bond theme’s to hear in a theater. When it’s not in full drive, the song’s slower moments don’t quite land as precisely and delicately, a balancing act that other artists behind Bond themes have mastered.

3 Goldeneye - Tina Turner

     Sourced via Film Affinity

This theme song’s masterminds are none other than Tina Turner, Bono, and The Edge, and the blend of their skills made for one of the most carefully calculated successes of a Bond theme yet. At the time, the question of whether or not Bono and The Edge could fill the shoes of John Barry as songwriters was deeply contested, and remains a point of discourse. Tina Turner, however, picked up right where Shirley Bassey left off, showing off a confident, honed presence and brilliant pipes that made this song an outstanding entry to one of the most memorable films in the series. By now, the Bond franchise had created a musical template to follow for its themes, and Tina Turner’s performance holds nothing back.

2 Diamonds are Forever - Shirley Bassey

     Sourced via Brittanica

Shirley Bassey was asked not once, not twice, but three times to perform a Bond theme, and her experience shines through on this track. She oscillates masterfully between big, bold choruses and smaller, subtler verses with the skill of a master vocalist. Lots of attention, both behind the scenes and publicly, was directed at how sexually charged the song was, but there’s no doubt that this song is Bassey at her best. This is a song that has rooted itself in collective memory, and can be remembered by all fans of the series who were lucky enough to watch it in theaters.

1 Skyfall - Adele

     Sony Pictures Releasing

It’s genuinely very hard to judge any one of Skyfall’s individual parts, because each of them does so much work towards creating this masterpiece of a film. Adele’s title song doesn’t just match the tone of the movie - it sets it, and in doing so, becomes inseparable from the experience of the movie. Slow, stylish meditations on death followed by long, pained melodies put forth the story of the returning gentleman spy in all its beautiful color. And if views are any indicator, this is one of the most listened to Bond songs of all time, currently sitting at 460,000,000 views on YouTube.