V/A: The Best of Bond... James Bond (3LP, soundtrack) [UME]

Why you'll love it

This 3LP set, pressed in Canada, comes in a trifold jacket and runs the 2021 edition of the collection in film order, up to "No Time to Die." It gathers Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney & Wings, Carly Simon, Duran Duran, Tina Turner, Adele and Billie Eilish on one shelf.

This edition

• 3LP set
• Trifold jacket
• Pressed in Canada

About the album

The Best of Bond first turned up in 1992 for the series' 30th anniversary, and it has been refreshed every time a new theme earns its place, most recently in 2021. This version runs from the twanging "James Bond Theme" all the way to Daniel Craig's farewell, so you can hear six decades of spy glamour in order. John Barry's orchestral fingerprints are all over the early sides.

Side by side, the songs tell their own history of pop. Matt Monro croons "From Russia with Love," Shirley Bassey belts "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever," Tom Jones and Nancy Sinatra take "Thunderball" and "You Only Live Twice," and Louis Armstrong's "We Have All the Time in the World" is the tender moment. Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better," Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" and a-ha's "The Living Daylights" bring the 70s and 80s, before Tina Turner, Chris Cornell, Adele, Sam Smith and Billie Eilish carry it home.

Six decades of opening credits make for a surprisingly good dinner party, and the songs come filed in film order, which is more tidiness than our own shelves usually manage.

Also at Kops: more James Bond on vinyl · browse Soundtracks

Tracklist

Listen

On UMe, the 2021 compilation.