Half of what makes Batman better on-screen compared to a comic is the addition of Batman Theme songs. Each batman movie and show has its own Batman theme song to go with it. Other songs played in movies would be so popular that they too became iconic. Here is a list of the best Batman songs and sounds.
The 1989 Batman has a few songs on this list. Many don’t know that Prince himself made the Batman soundtrack. Other movies like the Dark Knight Trilogy had some of the greatest composers ever create their Batman Theme Songs. Let’s get right into this…
16. Intro to The Batman
The Batman is one of the few that did not get things right at all. The theme song almost had no chance because it had to follow Batman the Animated Series, one of the best cartoons ever made.
The song has no excitement to it. It feels like they tried to take the detective angle and make it feel like a sherlock holmes type of beginning, but it just did not work.
15. Dark Knight Rises
The movie was so heavily anticipated after Dark Knight with Heath Ledger’s amazing role as the Joker that this movie could have caught anyone’s attention. At the moment, the Bane theme song is awesome, but when you play it back, it’s not all that impressive.
The song feels rushed for Bane. Bane packs so much power and intensity that he deserved something more daunting than this. The song is not horrible, though, and many others may feel it should be higher.
14. Men Are still Good
The song takes forever to get going, but it also does not feel like a Batman song. It could be because they were trying to find something that worked for Superman and Wonderwoman as well.
The one thing this song did get well is that it did sound like a death was coming. It sounded like a funeral and of a hero which is what the movie brought but this is a list for Batman theme songs.
13. Batman Returns Main Theme
The Batman Returns Theme song is good, but it always felt like it was missing something and a letdown from the 89 Batman. The first song was so epic that everyone expected it to be followed up with an even greater song. It’s also tough because this Batman was very Christmas-themed, but the song did not match that.
Batman Returns still produced a great song, but it just did not live up to the Hype. It would have been epic if the movie had a dope Christmas jingle vibe to it.
12. Batman Forever
The Batman Forever song may be better than it gets credit for. The issue is that it’s attached to such a trash movie. Batman Forever could have been such a good movie, they cast everyone right, but they turned Gotham into a joke. It never had the New York City vibe it needed.
The song is memorable, and it lets you know it’s Batman time, but it missed some of the fierceness of songs below. This movie came out after the 89 Batman, so the Gold standard had already been set.
11. Batman Arkham Origins Main them
The song is 100%, Batman. You hear, and you know it’s time to bust some skulls open in combat. The video game is known for its unique fighting combos, and the song prepares you to do just that.
Where the song misses the mark is that it’s no memorable. Other songs on this list you hear, and you get excited right away because you know the action will take place.
10. Black and Yellow from Lego Batman Movie
Black and Yellow was not made for The Lego Batman Movie. Wiz Khalifa made the song, and it just happened to match the Batman colors perfectly. The credit here goes to whoever chose to attach this song to the marketing for the movie. It was genius!
The song speaks to Batman colors, but it also set the tone for the Batman Movie. The song does not match any other movies’ ethos, but Lego Batman is almost poking fun at Batman, so it works here.
9. Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond had some of the best outside-of-the-box Batman theme songs. The intro was a rock song, and it immediately set the tone that the show was different. Unlike the Batman series, Batman Beyond set a tone that this would be different from the great Batman Animated Series.
Everything about the song felt futuristic and different. It felt unsafe and way ahead of its time. The song felt radical, and the change of pace was just what the Batman Brand needed.
8. Trust – 1989 Batman
Trust was not the theme of the 1989 Batman, but wow, was it ever a good song. Prince did an amazing job on the soundtrack, but this song really brought out how much fun Jack Nicholson had with this role.
The song set up the infamous line, Hubba Hubba Hubba, Money Money Money, Who you trust? The whole song is called trust because the Joker is trying to draw Gotham in because they should not trust him. The song makes you want to sing and dance.
7. Dark Knight Main Theme
The Dark Knight main theme was one of the best made for the action time. Every time the movie played this song, you knew it was going down, and it was about to be a great action scene. The song set the stage for what was coming every time.
The song also had a very smooth build-up. It’s like you can slowly feel the Bats flying your way to strike fear in you, but it takes a few seconds for them to get to you. The build-up in the song is one of the best.
6. Original Batman Theme Song from 60s
Easily one of the most memorable Batman songs ever made, and for that reason alone, is this high. The song does not strike fear in your heart, but it matched the Batman of the 60s.
You have to take into account that in the 60s you could not show so much violence on TV as you can now. The show kept Batman light-hearted so you could watch it with the whole family.
5. Why So Serious – Dark Knight
The Dark Knight started with this song, and it never gets old. It’s one of the best villain theme songs ever made. It lets you know that the Joker is in the movie and some negative action is about to occur. Heath Ledger played his role so well that when that music started, your skin began to crawl.
There has never been a Batman Theme Song that has set the tone for what is about to happen and this one. The song matched the ethos of the Joker so well.
4. Joker Takes Over – Batman Theme Songs
The entire scene left a mark on the audience, and it was why this Joker will always be loved. The Joker loves to put on a show but still kills people. The man literally kills the entire museum, then comes in dancing with a smile and destroying all of the paintings.
The song is so weird and off, and when you listen to the lyrics, you feel like Prince and Jack Nicholson are both geniuses. The song totally captures why this Joker was so good compared to others; it’s because he had a good time while killing.
3. Batman Mask of The Phantasm
Here is another Batman Theme Song that was just different. The music sounds like Opera, and it matched the vibe of the whole movie so well. You feel like Batman is about to show up and do work, but you also wonder what this Bad Guy is going to be about.
The Theme song really tries to set a tone for the Villain that Batman will face. But the song is subjective; we can see it not being loved by all like some of the others high on the list.
2. Batman The Animated Series
The song is genius and one of the best Batman theme songs. It came on the heels of the 1989 Batman, and this song is really what Batman Returns should have done. Make a similar song but with some small tweaks.
They basically took the 89 theme song and found a way to add a bit of a cartoon feel. Now you have a masterpiece. The cartoon itself was amazing, but the intro song set the tone for it.
1. 1989 Batman Theme Song
The theme song does the best job of capturing Batman’s ethos saving the day, a Villain, and Gotham City all in one. The song feels grungy and dirty like the darkness of Gotham. But it also comes with the hope that Batman can turn things around.
When this movie came out and started with this song, it captured fans’ hearts everywhere. Almost immediately, you could tell the movie was worth the hype. The song’s build-up was perfect, and it led you right into the climax of action scenes so well.
Final Thought on The Best Batman Theme Songs
The Best Batman songs know how to capture the full ethos of what Batman represents. Each show may have its own spin on it, like the Lego Movie or Batman beyond, but Batman’s heart is the same. The goal is to get the audience ready for Batman to put a beat down on some bad guys.
