The entireJames Bondfranchise is known for its stylish opening credits sequences and their original songs, and all 25 can be ranked from worst to best. Regardless of how good the actual movie is, James Bond fans are almost guaranteed to be in for a treat with the franchise’s intro credits.Every James Bond actorwas ushered into their films with stunning visuals, catchy and moving songs, and mood-setting sequences.

There are quite a few factors that go into making a compelling intro worthy of James Bond. The visuals have to be excellent and invoke both the image and feel of a legendary spy, the music has to be sufficiently moving and grand, and it has to set up and fit with the mood of all the adventures 007 is set to go on. Every title in the franchise, from theworst to the best James Bond movies, excels in at least one of those areas, but some presented a more complete package than others.

25On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Music & Composition By John Barry

George Lazenby’s one and only outing as 007 inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Servicewas surprisingly impressive in a number of ways, but its intro was not. Lazenby’s film went with a rather simple method of showing bits of footage draining out of an hourglass. The intro toOn Her Majesty’s Secret Servicerefused to take risks, and its animations, silhouettes, and almost exclusively blue coloration fell far short of being impressive.One of the few highlights ofOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s intro was John Barry’s orchestral theme, but that alone was not enough to salvage the uninspired visuals.

24You Only Live Twice (1967)

Vocals By Nancy Sinatra & Music By John Barry

Sean Connery’s fifth James Bond movie,You Only Live Twice, wasn’t his best showing, and it also wasn’t his best intro. The credits ofYou Only Live Twicedo have some things going for them, such as Nancy Sinatra’s title song and some beautiful volcanic scenery, but that’s about it.The main problem withYou Only Live Twice’s intro is that it just isn’t very memorable. It wasn’t a marked improvement overThunderball’s introduction, and Bond films before and after had much more interesting visuals.

23The Man With The Golden Gun

Vocals By Lulu, Lyrics By Don Black, & Music By John Barry

Aside from the titular weapon, there isn’t much in the intro toThe Man with the Golden Gunthat stands out among Bond intros.There are a few somewhat impressive moments, like the pyrotechnics, but other than that, the intro felt like a standard beginning to a Roger Moore-era film. There are also more moments that don’t work in the intro than those that do, such as the women flashing across the screen as water lazily ripples across their images. Lulu’s song also deviated from the tried and true style of music typical to the franchise, yet it didn’t have enough energy or excitement.

22Die Another Day (2002)

Vocals & Lyrics By Madonna

Pierce Brosnan’s time as 007 had quite a few ups and downs, and so did his intros.Die Another Day’s intro is an example of a particularly rough low point in his tenure as Bond.Despite being the last Brosnan movie, the visual effects inDie Another Day’s intro seem to have regressed. Madonna’s title song is also proof that sometimes leaning too heavily into the trends of the time doesn’t work for James Bond. Everything about the opening ofDie Another Dayscreams that it was trying too hard to keep up with the times, and it was left in the dust instead.

21Quantum Of Solace (2008)

“Another Way To Die” Vocals By Jack White & Alicia Keys, Lyrics By Jack White

Daniel Craig’s second turn at 007 felt like a step backwards in many ways, andQuantum of Solace’s intro is no exception. Its visuals weren’t impressive enough to live up to the standardCasino Royalehad created for the modern era of Bond, and its Alicia Keys and Jack White song did not convey the somber and grumpy story that was in store. In fact,the entire intro toQuantum of Solacefailed to fit the movie’s tone at all, and it almost seems like a disconnected music video spliced into the opening scenes of the film. Stylish visuals can only take an intro so far.

20Dr. No (1962)

“James Bond Theme” By John Barry Orchestra

Though it did kickstart the entire James Bond franchise and set the precedent of visually impressive credits sequences,Dr. No’s intro hasn’t aged as well as other films'.John Barry’s orchestral score is always appreciated, but after 60 years and 24 movies that incorporated the same tune,Dr. No’s intro song doesn’t spark much intrigue. Likewise, while the simplistic colored dots and boxes with text on a black screen was striking at the time, it feels a bit underwhelming in comparison to 007’s later entries. Still, however, credit is due toDr. Nofor starting one of the biggest franchises in film history.

19For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Vocals By Sheena Easton, Lyrics By Michael Leeson, Music By Bill Conti

IfThe Man with the Golden Gunwas an example of how Pierce Brosnan’s movies misused water elements in the intro,For Your Eyes Onlyis an example of how they used them correctly. The underwater theme of the intro fit perfectly with Sheena Easton’s echoing, almost ethereal vocals, and it made the unprecedented decision to include the singer in the intro work. It also worked well withFor Your Eyes Only’s maritime setting. The intro toFor Your Eyes Onlywon’t win any awards, but it took some risks and still managed to start the film on a positive note, which is commendable.

18The Living Daylights (1987)

Vocals By A-ha, Music By Pal Waaktaar & John Barry

James Bond movies are always a microcosm of the time they were created in, and no intro proves that better thanThe Living Daylights.Complete with a title song performed by A-ha and women with the biggest hairstyles possible, the intro toThe Living Daylightsis quintessential 1980s nostalgia. Whether that works or not is a matter of personal preference, but the film also had the visuals and moodiness to back up such a modern intro. One of the only waysThe Living Daylights' intro could have been improved was by better signaling just how gritty Timothy Dalton’s debut would be.

17Moonraker (1979)

Vocals By Shirley Bassey, Lyrics By Hal David, Music By John Barry

The opening ofMoonrakermay be the closest James Bond ever got to making its audience feel like they were watching the film in a cocktail lounge 007 himself could have frequented.With its darker lighting, muted colors, and Shirley Bassey’s more reserved vocal performance,Moonraker’s intro feels almost anticipatory. NeitherMoonrakernor its intro made huge waves in the franchise as a whole, but it’s a more than serviceable way to begin a James Bond film, and it feels perfectly in keeping with Roger Moore’s tenure as the legendary spy.

16Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Vocals By Sheryl Crow

In many ways, the intro toTomorrow Never Dieswas ahead of its time.From women standing in X-ray images of bullets to Sheryl Crow’s modern voice in a classically-composed song,Tomorrow Never Dieslived up to the precedentGoldenEyeset for Pierce Brosnan’s films. Impressively, and unlikeDie Another Day,Tomorrow Never Diesalso managed to strike the perfect balance between CGI and live-action footage, and it married the two styles very effectively. Its digital motifs also fit perfectly with Elliott Carver’s (Jonathan Pryce) cyberterrorism, making it a great way to set the film’s tone.