Billie Eilish’s James Bond-theme song ‘No Time To Die’ is here: thoughts?

2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

In the recent canon of James Bond-film theme songs, I still believe that Adele killed it with “Skyfall.” Her big voice worked so well when combined with the structure given to Bond-theme artists. Adele won the Best Song Oscar for “Skyfall,” obviously. When Spectre came around, they went with another blue-eyed soul artist from Britain: Sam Smith. I honestly didn’t think “Writing’s On the Wall” was that strong, but it’s a better song than people remember and it also won the Oscar for Best Song. So it’s been established that Oscar voters love Bond songs.

All of which to say, I was surprised that an American artist was chosen for the theme song for No Time to Die. I was even more surprised that the artist chosen was… Billie Eilish, the teenage wunderkind who most recently swept up at the Grammys. I didn’t know what to expect, but this was not it. Here’s Billie’s “No Time To Die.”

It’s softer than I was expecting, but you know what? It’s for Daniel Craig’s last turn as Bond, and it’s a film which reportedly deals a lot with betrayal and chickens coming home to roost or whatever. So the kind of depressive nature fits? Anyway, Billie is going to win an Oscar for it. For sure. And truly, it’s a pretty good song?

Here’s the first No Time To Die teaser with Billie’s song:

Billie Eilish arrives on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood...

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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66 Responses to “Billie Eilish’s James Bond-theme song ‘No Time To Die’ is here: thoughts?”

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  1. dofcol says:

    It reminds me of Sam Smith’s in that it just sort of… goes along. And then ends.

    I was sort of hopeful for something fun and different from her. If not, maybe something with at least a swell on the chorus. I could listen to this three more times and still not have a single second of it in my head.

    • Alissa says:

      Right? there’s nothing catchy about it. she has a beautiful haunting voice, but this sounds like her just whisper talking through a song and I can’t quite tell where the chorus is, or if there even is a chorus.

      The only bond song I liked was Adele’s though.

  2. Over It says:

    She looks unhappy.

  3. Jane says:

    Whoa! That was amazing! It was haunting and old fashioned. It really FELT like Bond (new Bond, with all the angst, not playful old Bonds).

    • Godwina says:

      Yeah, it’s very Bondy to me. The minor key, the siren voice, standard signatures. Shirley Bassey is all over this, as she was Adele’s. And that’s a plus for me. 🙂

    • Ronaldinhio says:

      Yeah, I loved this immediately. I got it as a Bond song. Perfect.
      I was never in love or even like with Sam Smith’s song – they sounded all wrong and I preferred the Radiohead version

  4. Chonky Cat says:

    I think it’s hauntingly beautiful.

  5. virginfangirls says:

    I like it.

  6. helonearth says:

    I’m not surprised they picked an American to sing the theme song. If you look back they have chosen a mix of different styles of singers and songs over the years.

    This doesn’t grab me, but I might need to listen to it a few more times.

    My fav bond song will always be You Know My Name by Chris Cornell.

  7. Elisa says:

    Whoa, goose pumps! I love it!

  8. manda says:

    I really liked it, and I’m not a Billie Eilish super fan, nor do I keep up with the Bond films. It was haunting and beautiful. I loved Adele’s song, too

  9. SM says:

    I love it. Different enough to set it apart yet has the bond theme in there at each and every moment. This may be the best Bond theme for me personally from all the ones done in this century. I understand Cary Fukunaga hand picked her for the theme

  10. Busyann says:

    Soooo, I listened to the song separatrly last night and thought it was good and very bond, moody like but it didn’t have the punch of Skyfall. It’s honestly kind of forgettable. Then I watched the trailer and was meh about the movie. Hearing them together I’m still pretty meh about it.

  11. Christina says:

    Yes, that will be a no from me. My fave Bond song is Jack White and Alicia Keys Another Way to Die. That is amazing!

  12. Lucy says:

    It’s slowly growing on me. I think Billie doesn’t get enough credit for her ballads. Also, Finneas is a great producer!!!

  13. Andrew’s Nemesis says:

    To borrow from Frasier, I would rather have tarantulas lay eggs in my ear than listen to this horrordrivel again

    • Scotchy says:

      Yup same. It’s homogenized, dull and I just can’t with this trend of mumble whisper no range singers. I have no idea why I though this song would be good, the bond songs haven’t been good in a long while.

  14. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    The best Bond song that belonged to Spy is “Who Can You Trust,” lol. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EKn2rA8vuCw

    Other than that, my favs include Adele, Duran Duran, Garbage and Chris Cornell. This new one by Billie won’t make the cut. Don’t like it.

  15. AnnaKist says:

    Sorry. I find it dull.

  16. Kersplasha says:

    That’s a great song! Fits the trailer so well!

  17. Snazzy says:

    My fave Bond song is Tina Turner’s GoldenEye. Loved Skyfall too. This one isn’t bad

  18. Fleur says:

    The best Bond songs were definitely Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey and Thunderball by Tom Jones, although Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney was also great.

    I’ve been pretty blah on Billie’s rise and the attitude she invented modern pop. people seem to be forgetting Lorde was a cultural five seconds ago and Billie’s work seems to borrow heavily from Elle King. That said, I listened to the new song prepared to like it. I thought it was meh. I also thought Adele’s bond song was meh. The last few Bond songs have been pretty dirge-y. Despite enjoying the serious flare of the last few Bond movies, I think a theme song with a little sexiness or energy would have been a better idea. Reminds people why Bond can be fun as well as serious. I really liked Alicia Keys Bond effort and Chris Cornell’s.

  19. Leriel says:

    Thoughts: boring, but I like music, lyrics is fine for a teen, who Billie is, but for a Bond it’s lol.

    • Valiantly Varnished says:

      Its pretty on par with MOST Bond song lyrics:

      Let the sky fall
      When it crumbles
      We will stand tall
      Face it all together

      Yeah a door left open
      A woman walking by
      A drop in the water
      A look in the eye
      A phone on the table

      I mean…Bond songs dont require a whole lot lyrically lol

      • Leriel says:

        No,but Bond songs kinda incorporated names or themes on some symbolic level, even Writing on the wall, which I deeply hate, had this symbolic element.
        This one is just teen song about breakup, movie’s name isn’t standing out in it, it’s just another line, and they try to make it.

      • Valiantly Varnished says:

        Teen breakup song? Have you actually read the lyrics?

        And in No Time To Die a HUGE part of the plot is Bond being betrayed by his lover.

        Was I stupid to love you?
        Was I reckless to help?
        Was it obvious to everybody else?
        That I’d fallen for a lie?
        You were never on my side
        Fool me once, fool me twice
        Are you death, or paradise?

        I let it burn
        You’re no longer my concern
        Faces from my past return
        Another lesson yet to learn

        Sounds pretty spot on to me for the premise of the film

      • Leriel says:

        VALIANTLY VARNISHED, yes I read the lyrics, that’s why I wrote about teen breakup song, and I know the plot, I am a Bond fan so I follow these movies closely. And yep it’s still a teen breakup song, I have hella high standards for a lyrics in song, and less and less come close to it (I mean my favourite album in lyrics is still Beyonce’s Lemonade and it’s a 4th year after release).

      • Valiantly Varnished says:

        @Leriel if you have high standards in lyrics I would not look to a Bond theme song to fill them. Real talk. None of them are especially deep or interesting. That’s why they make great theme songs. Even Skyfall isnt all that amazing lyrically. And I am a HUGE lyric nerd. I am a writer and I love words in general. But when enjoying or listening to a song like a Bond theme Im not looking for amazingly deep lyrics because there arent any to be found.

  20. Hedwig says:

    I like it but it is so predictable. There is no suprirse, no real emotion cracking through. It must have been softened by the likes of Hans Zimmer, who gets credited. Not a song that will stick around….

  21. StellainNH says:

    It sounds like it is more appropriate for closing credits. Doesn’t grab me.

    • Deering24 says:

      Heh—one of the best Bond songs that got thrown away was The Pretenders “Where Has Everybody Gone?” You hear it in passing in “The Living Daylights,” but it’s way stronger than the awful a-ha title theme.

  22. Jerusha says:

    The only one I liked was Goldfinger. They can do away with Bond songs as far as I’m concerned.

  23. horseandhound says:

    I think it’s amazing. it sounds like a bond song, but it’s different from the others and it’s in her style and it sounds emotional, honest and mysterious. I love finneas. also…my favorites are golden eye and surrender by kd lang.

  24. Mm says:

    Lana would’ve been a better choice for the song in my opinion

  25. M.A.F. says:

    Nope. I tried, several times, but it’s a pass for me. I’m just not into the low, barely above a whisper voice.

  26. MellyMel says:

    I love it and I love her voice so much! She’s definitely going to win an Oscar for it.

  27. Eleonor says:

    I like this song! I think it’s on point.
    And for what that matter I think the late Amy Winehouse was made to write a Bond song, every time I hear Back to black I can’t help myself…it would have made such a great Bond theme.

  28. Eva says:

    So for every movie it is basically the same song with different singer and slightly different lyrics.

    Got it.

  29. Angel says:

    Nothing will top “For Your Eyes Only” by Sheena Easton in 1981, imo.

  30. BW says:

    Boring song. I don’t like her whispey voice. The song needs a stronger voice.

  31. mara says:

    Billie is quite gorgeous once you look past the green hair. Not loving the song, but the girl is super talented based on her other releases. She was a lot of fun on James Corden’s carpool karaoke.

  32. Deering24 says:

    1) This song needs a more energetic middle or more variation or _something_. It doesn’t build enough and it seems to end before it really gets going.

    2) “Writing’s On The Wall” is a great tune, but Sam Smith can’t sing for crap. Would love to hear a vocalist with more skill and shading tackle it.

  33. Veronica says:

    Sounds like literally every other song she’s ever wrote, to be brutally honest. All of it uses the same vaguely whispery, digitally processed sound. It always makes me wonder what she sounds like live.

    I want to like her stuff, but there’s so much hype around music that just doesn’t grab me. I think it’s the lack of strong vocal range in her songs. It’s usually a dead give away that a singer isn’t as strong as they could be.

    • ZGB says:

      Honestly, I didn’t really care for her until I watched a few of her live performances, especially the ones on Howard Stern( check out the one for ‘All The Good Girls Go To Hell’ on Howard Stern, very clean and crisp).
      The production values on her songs are amazing. I still don’t care for most of her videos but her songs are good.

  34. No Doubt says:

    I don’t give a flying fig about Bond movies, but I like her. She has a beautiful voice.

  35. Grant says:

    I don’t get Billie Eilish. I think she’s a flash in the pan and we’ll have all but forgotten about her in two years the way the public has with Lorde. That being said, this song is boring and forgettable, just like her.

  36. reg says:

    I just can’t get over the bubble clothes she’s always wearing. The song is boring
    but very well done. It will be forgotten along with many Bond theme songs.