DC Comics has dubbed today Batman Day. The Dark Knight has been fighting crime and serving justice for his 75th year since the 1939 debut of Detective Comics #27. Batman has been a big part of our lives, and was responsible for making us into the comic book fanatics we are today, whether it be through comic books and toys or television and movies. To show our appreciation for the man, the myth and the legend, we have compiled a plethora of Bat-themed lists. We hope that we can inspire you to read more about Batman and his legacy, or even give us some feedback if you agree or disagree with the lists. Sound off below! And click on the picture below to take you to all of our Batman Day articles.
Top 10 Batman Theme Songs
You can usually tell a person’s age depending on the Batman theme song they identify most. The tunes may have altered throughout the year, but the spirit of them is still the same. You could be at at your daughter’s recital, or giving a presentation to your boss, when that Batman ringtone goes off, people smile. Aside from Superman and a few Marvel characters, Batman is part of a select few that have gotten even one theme song, let alone enough to do a top ten. So rejoice in the sound of the Bat, and let us know which ones you liked the best.
10.) Batman Forever
This theme, composed by Elliot Goldenthal, was a distinct departure from the Danny Elfman-produced themes of the Tim Burton films. It’s one of the few good things to come out of Batman Forever. We wish we could count Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose” on here, because that would have instantly shot this up the charts. The use of big, brass instruments gives the theme that epic Batman feeling.
9.) Batman Begins/The Dark Knight, “Molossus”
Composed by Hans Zimmer, this theme was actually slightly introduced towards the end of Batman Begins, and expanded upon in The Dark Knight. The harsh drums and cello is the call to action Batman deserves. In fact, the entire scores to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are worth a listen if you need to get pumped up for that job interview or test.
8.) Batman: The Brave and the Bold
When The Brave and the Bold first aired in 2008, I was skeptical. All I needed to see was the opening credits to know that this was going to be a clear homage to the Adam West days with a modern twist to it. The upbeat and very short theme song got its point across without much variation or flare, but it was all Batman.
7.) Adam West’s Batman series
Speaking of Adam West, the classic theme from the TV series, which was also used in the Hanna Barbera animated version, is full of butt-kicking goodness, punching sound effects strewn within. The shrill “Batman!” cry heard throughout is the work of an eight-member chorus. It’s the reason the we all sing “Na na na na na na na na…. Batman!” – a true classic theme song in American history.
6.) Arkham City
The 2011 video game, which is heralded as the best Batman game yet, had its own score and “Music Inspired By” soundtrack, headlined by this main theme. It was a blend of Zimmer’s The Dark Knight and Elfman’s whimsical woodwinds, creating a truly awesome mixture for us to glide through Gotham to. Good job by Nick Arundel in using the best elements from two of the greatest theme songs in Bat-history to create something new and exciting.
5.) The Dark Knight Rises
When Christopher Nolan closed out his trilogy, he left us with a lot of questions – and a lot more unexplainable plot holes. That wasn’t the case for Hans Zimmer, who gave audiences the definitive theme song worthy of ending the epic journey. The theme goes through multiple uplifting phases of the heroes journey. Like The Dark Knight before it, Zimmer’s score is a complete package, one that you can listen to the whole way through, with enough variation to feel like a complete experience.
4.) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Mask of the Phantasm was a 1993 animated film about Batman’s tangle with a villain who took justice into their own hands, often leading to death for their targets. The theme has a more dynamic feel than the usual animated series theme song, using gospel themes, and more prominent orchestral tones. It may have been a bit too dramatic to be the best theme, but Shirley Walker’s theme fit this film perfectly.
3.) Batman Beyond
Ushering in a new generation, the theme song to Batman Beyond was just as futuristic as Terry McGinnis himself. It’s a far departure from the theme used in Batman: The Animated Series, and that’s what made it work so well. Most people can’t even tell that this Kristopher Carter track is Batman-related at all, but fans raised on the series instantly jam out to the theme. This was certainly not their father’s Batman; he belonged to them.
2.) Batman Returns
The year was 1992 and Danny Elfman was beginning to make a name for himself in the film score circles with great work on movies like Dick Tracy and Beetlejuice. Elfman’s sound was distinctly gothic, fitting the terrifying story of Batman Returns to a tee. As the opening credits roll, we are treated to a look at the sad journey of Oswald Cobblepot that Burton had created for us, amplified by the frantic pace of the theme song in the background. Since then, Elfman’s has reproduced the same style in almost every theme song he’s done, turning it into more of a cliché over the years, but after twenty years, his Batman theme is still practically untouchable.
1.) Batman: The Animated Series
The famous theme song, accompanied by one of the best introduction sequences of all time, of Batman: The Animated Series takes the title of Best Batman Theme Song. Taking clear inspiration from the aforementioned Burton films, TAS theme song was created by Shirley Walker – who, coincidentally enough was Burton’s conductor for the films. The student definitely became the master, and together, the two perfected the Burton theme. The brass is more pronounced, and the subtleties of the film theme were lost in favor of a more crisp overall sound.
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