Die Another Day (song)

"Die Another Day" is a song by American singer Madonna, recorded as the theme for the 2002 James Bond film of the same name. Following the lukewarm commercial performance of Garbage's "The World Is Not Enough" (1999), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Pictures sought a globally recognized artist for the franchise's next theme. Madonna, then one of the most prominent figures in pop music, was selected as their top choice. She co-wrote and co-produced the track with Mirwais Ahmadzaï, with additional composition by Michel Colombier. Musically, "Die Another Day" blends electroclash and dance music with orchestral strings, and features lyrics exploring psychological themes such as ego destruction, including a reference to Sigmund Freud. The song plays during the film's opening sequence, in which James Bond—portrayed by Pierce Brosnan—is tortured in North Korea.

After an early leak in late September, "Die Another Day" was officially released in the United States on October 22, 2002, and in most European markets six days later. It was added to Madonna's ninth studio album, American Life (2003), and included on her compilation albums Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). Upon release, critical reception was mixed to negative, with some reviewers ranking it among the weaker entries in the Bond theme catalogue. Nonetheless, the song received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and two Grammy Awards: Best Dance Recording and Best Short Form Music Video.

Commercially, "Die Another Day" proved successful. In the United States, it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100—making it the first Bond theme to reach the chart's top ten since 1985—and was the best-selling dance single of both 2002 and 2003. It reached number one in Canada, Italy, and Spain, and entered the top ten in several other countries, including a peak at number three in the United Kingdom. The accompanying music video, directed by Swedish collective Traktor, features Madonna in Bond-inspired scenes, including a torture chamber and a fencing duel with her doppelgänger. With a production cost of $6.1 million ($ million in dollars), it is the second most expensive video ever made. Its use of Jewish symbolism attracted controversy from some religious scholars. Madonna performed "Die Another Day" live on her Re-Invention (2004) and Celebration (2023–2024) concert tours, while a remixed version was used a video interlude on 2008―2009's Sticky & Sweet Tour.

Background and development

thumb|upright|[[Mirwais Ahmadzaï co-wrote and co-produced "Die Another Day" alongside Madonna.]]

In wake of the September 11 attacks, Madonna and producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï had begun work on her ninth studio album, American Life (2003). Their recording sessions were briefly paused as the singer took on acting roles in the film Swept Away (2002)—directed by her then-husband Guy Ritchie—and in the West End play Up For Grabs. Around this time, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Pictures was developing the twentieth James Bond film, Die Another Day (2002). Although the franchise's previous entry, The World Is Not Enough (1999), was a commercial success, grossing US$362 million worldwide, its eponymous theme song by alternative rock band Garbage underperformed in the United States. Seeking a more high-profile artist, MGM turned to Madonna, whose 1999 single "Beautiful Stranger"—recorded for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me—had been a commercial hit and earned a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. She confirmed her involvement in a March interview on Larry King Live, where she explained her unconventional approach: "Everybody wants to do the theme song of a James Bond movie, and I never liked to do what everybody else likes to do. [...] I thought about it and I said, you know what? James Bond needs to get techno". The song originated from a demo with electronica influences Madonna and Ahmadzaï created during the American Life sessions. She was cast as Verity, a fencing instructor she described as the only woman not interested in Bond.

Recording and composition

Its autotuned vocals and fragmented production recall earlier Madonna singles such as "Everybody" (1982) and "Music" (2000), while the orchestral opening nods to "Papa Don't Preach" (1986). Madonna later called it one of her favorite songs for its "cinematic" atmosphere, its "chilling" strings, and the opportunity to work with a live orchestra. It was originally scheduled for October 10, but was leaked ten days earlier to a New York radio station. According to website Hollywood.com, Madonna and her team were reportedly "beside themselves" over the premature leak. The single was released in most European countries on October 28. It was later added to American Life, and included on Madonna's compilation albums Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022), the latter featuring a remix by Deepsky. Additional official remixes were produced by Deepsky, Victor Calderone, Dirty Vegas and Thunderpuss.

Critical reception and recognition

Upon release, "Die Another Day" received mixed to negative reviews and has often been cited as one of the weakest entries in the Bond theme song canon. Criticism was given to its heavy use of Auto-Tune, perceived lack of melody and detachment from the Bond aesthetic. Positive feedback came from Entertainment Weeklys Craig Seymour, who praised its "dance-floor urgency" and self-referential lyrics. James Hannaham, writing for Spin magazine, was also favorable, calling it a brilliant, melodramatic piece. Others, however, were far less impressed: Billboard referred to it as "disjointed" and "nonsensical", while Rikky Rooksby—author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna—criticized its "repetitive" melody and claimed it marked a decline in Bond songwriting. Additional reviewers dismissed the song as "cheerless", "half-dead", and "rubbish".

Despite its initial reception, retrospective opinions have grown more favorable. In a 2006 MORI poll for the Channel 4 program James Bond's Greatest Hits, "Die Another Day" ranked 9th among 22 Bond themes and was the overwhelming favorite among respondents under 24. The Daily Telegraph later hailed it as "brutally modern" and "evocative of the dark heart of Bond", while Vogue magazine celebrated its bold break from ballad tradition, calling it "hilariously early-naughts sounding" yet still "one of the greats". Critics like Samuel Murrian, Jon O'Brien, and Matthew Jacobs acknowledged it as a divissive "weird fit" for Bond, but praised its role in modernizing the franchise's sound. Music historian Jon Burlingame deemed it the "most sonically edgy" Bond theme, and author Daryl Easlea highlighted its "poignancy" and "experimental darkness". According to biographer Mary Gabriel, much of the backlash was likely amplified by Madonna's role in the critically panned Swept Away, with music critics "feeling obligated" to dislike the song.

Although critically divisive, "Die Another Day" still garnered notable award recognition. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 60th Golden Globe Awards, but lost to U2's "The Hands That Built America" from Gangs of New York. At the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, the song earned two nominations: Best Dance Recording, which went to Kylie Minogue's "Come Into My World", and Best Short Form Music Video, awarded to "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. In contrast, the track was also nominated for Worst Original Song at the 23rd Golden Raspberry Awards, where Madonna was named Worst Supporting Actress for her cameo in the film.

Chart performance

thumb|right|"Die Another Day" became only the second James Bond theme to reach the top ten of the [[Billboard Hot 100|Billboard Hot 100, following "A View to Kill" (1985) by Duran Duran (picture).]]

"Die Another Day" achieved strong commercial success worldwide. In the United States, the song debuted at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100—then the highest debut of 2002—and later peaked at number 8. It marked Madonna's 35th top-ten hit, pushing her ahead of the Beatles and placing her just one behind Elvis Presley's record at the time. It also became the first James Bond theme to reach the Hot 100's top ten since Duran Duran's "A View to Kill" in 1985, and would remain the last until "Skyfall" by Adele a decade later. On Billboards Hot Dance Club Songs chart, it became Madonna's 28th number-one single, and was the best-selling dance single of both 2002 and 2003. By 2013, it had sold over 232,000  digital downloads in the US, ranking among Madonna's top pre-2005 digital singles.

In Canada, "Die Another Day" peaked at number one and remained there for four weeks, earning double platinum certification. It ended the year as the UK's 80th best-selling single and was certified silver in 2015. Cinematography was handled by Harris Savides. With a production budget of $6.1 million ($ million in dollars), it became the second most expensive music video ever made, behind only "Scream" (1995) by Michael and Janet Jackson. Filming took place in August 2002 at Hollywood Center Studios in California. After being violently thrown around and submerged in icy water, she breaks into a defiant, provocative dance amid chains and broken glass. Mary Gabriel further interpreted the white Madonna's triumph over the black-clad version as a metaphorical "death of the ego". Gabriel concluded that despite being surrounded by male captors, "[Madonna's] the toughest of them all". Michael Berg, one of Madonna's Kabbalah advisers, explained that phylacteries represent a spiritual shift from selfishness to generosity, though he acknowledged it was rare for women to wear them and some might see it as sacrilegious. Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg defended the video, saying the singer's intentions were "honorable". Gabriel also noted that not all reactions were negative; some Jewish scholars believed Madonna's performance could even inspire lapsed Jews to reconnect with their faith. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, "Die Another Day" was nominated for Best Video from a Film but lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself". Nevertheless, it won Soundtrack Video of the Year at the MVPA Awards.

Live performances

thumb|left|Madonna singing "Die Another Day" on [[the Celebration Tour (2023―2024)]]

Initial reports by The Observer suggested Madonna would sing "Die Another Day" before Queen Elizabeth II at the film's London premiere, though said performance did not materialize. A tango-inspired version was later featured on 2004's Re-Invention World Tour, with "abstract" ballroom choreography, Madonna in circus-themed costuming, and visuals of X-rays and a dying old man. The number concluded with the singer strapped to an electric chair, a moment Toronto Sun critic Jane Stevenson called "wonderfully inventive".

A remix by DJ Enferno was used as video interlude on 2008―2009's Sticky & Sweet Tour. Onstage, two dancers dressed as boxers fought in a stylized match, while video screens showed a battered and bleeding Madonna, also in boxing gear. Slant Magazines Paul Schrodt praised the visceral staging, noting the singer's willingness to "get dirty" for her art. The number was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album release (2010), filmed in Buenos Aires.

On July 26, 2012, during the MDNA Tour, Madonna performed a mashup of "Die Another Day" and MDNA album track "Beautiful Killer" at Paris's Olympia hall. A decade later, it was included on the Celebration Tour (2023–2024), opening with a quote by Greek–Armenian philosopher George Gurdjieff flashing on screen: "To be born, we must first die, and to die, we must first awake". Dressed in leather cowboy hats and dusters, Madonna and her dancers delivered an "intricately choreographed" routine amid laser beams and mystical undertones. Varietys Mark Sutherland praised the spectacle but criticized the lack of a live band during the "glitchy" segment.

Track listing and formats

UK and US 2 × 12-inch promo vinyl

A "Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Main Mix) – 10:08
B1 "Die Another Day" (Thee RetroLectro Mix) – 6:59
B2 "Die Another Day" (Deepsky Remix) – 7:27
C "Die Another Day" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 9:25
D "Die Another Day" (Thee Die Another Dub) – 8:26

UK, US and European 2 × 12-inch vinyl

A "Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Main Mix) – 10:08
B "Die Another Day" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 9:25
C1 "Die Another Day" (Thee RetroLectro Mix) – 6:59
C2 "Die Another Day" (Deepsky Remix) – 7:27
D "Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Dub) – 9:10

US 7-inch vinyl

A "Die Another Day" (Radio Edit) – 3:27
B "Die Another Day" (Album Version) – 4:38

US CD single

"Die Another Day" (Radio Edit) – 3:27
"Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Main Mix) – 10:08

European CD single

"Die Another Day" (Radio Edit) – 3:27
"Die Another Day" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 9:25
"Die Another Day" (Thee RetroLectro Mix) – 6:59

US, European, Australia and Japanese CD maxi-single

"Die Another Day" (Radio Edit) – 3:27
"Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Main Mix) – 10:08
"Die Another Day" (Thee RetroLectro Mix) – 6:59
"Die Another Day" (Thunderpuss Club Mix) – 9:25
"Die Another Day" (Deepsky Remix) – 7:27
"Die Another Day" (Brother Brown's Bond-Age Club) – 7:51

German and Australian CD single

"Die Another Day" (Radio Edit) – 3:27
"Die Another Day" (Dirty Vegas Main Mix) – 10:08
"Die Another Day" (Deep Sky Edit) – 4:06

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the Die Another Day soundtrack and the American Life album.

Madonna – lead vocals, background vocals, songwriter, producer
Mirwais Ahmadzaï – songwriter, producer, programming
Tim Young – audio mastering at Metropolis Studios, London
Mark "Spike" Stent – audio mixing at Olympic Studios and Westlake Audio
Michel Colombier – strings arrangement
Geoff Foster – strings engineer at AIR Lyndhurst Studios, London
Tom Hannen – assistant engineer
Simon Changer – assistant engineer
Tim Lambert – assistant engineer
Mert and Marcus – photography
Frank Maddocks – art direction, design

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Die Another Day"

!scope="col"|Chart (2002–2003)

!scope="col"|Peak position

! scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

| style="text-align:center"|1

!scope="row"|Croatia (HRT)

|align="center"|4

!scope="row"|Czech Republic (ČNS IFPI)

|13

!scope="row"|El Salvador (Notimex)

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

| 3

!scope="row"|Greece (IFPI Greece)

| 80

!scope="row"|Panama (Notimex)

| 1

!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)

| 1

!scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100)

| 1

!scope="row"|Uruguay (Notimex)

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2002 year-end chart performance for "Die Another Day"

!scope="col"|Chart (2002)

!scope="col"|Position

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

| 82

!scope="row"|Australian Dance (ARIA)

| 18

!scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

| 60

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)

| 77

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)

| 65

!scope="row"|Brazil (Crowley)

|64

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

| 2

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

| 71

!scope="row"|France (SNEP)

| 84

!scope="row"|Italy (FIMI)

| 7

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

| 66

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)

| 71

!scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE)

| 5

!scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan)

| 56

!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

| 44

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|74

!scope="row"|US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)

| 10