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 ($10.66 million in 2024 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.