Popular songs and insert tracks from the Mission: Impossible series
Tom Cruise’s blockbuster Mission: Impossible series is widely known not only for its engaging stories but also for its stylish music.
The theme from the original TV series, Mission: Impossible, composed by Lalo Schifrin, is famous for its distinctive 5/4 time signature.
It’s so iconic that even people who haven’t seen the films have likely heard it somewhere.
This time, we’re highlighting tracks used across the various Mission: Impossible films.
In addition to the film scores, we’ve selected songs played over the end credits and insert songs used in memorable scenes, so even those who’ve seen the movies might discover something new!
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Popular Songs and Insert Tracks from the Mission: Impossible Series (11–20)
The ExchangeLorne Balfe
It’s a really large-scale piece, as if it’s depicting the flashy scenes of this movie.
Music like this always shows up in action films, but this track incorporates a memorable theme, doesn’t it? That makes it even cooler, don’t you think? The part where the low end undulates in the middle is awesome, too.
It’s fascinating to wonder how a track this cool is made, isn’t it?
Mission: Impossible ThemeMIYAVI
Following Tomoyasu Hotei—who arranged the theme when Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol was released in 2011—the honor of taking on this prestigious mission for a musician next fell to MIYAVI, the “Samurai Guitarist.” When the fifth film in the series, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, was released in 2015, MIYAVI handled the arrangement for the official theme song in Japan.
Although it was initially a digital-only release, strong demand later led to a CD version.
MIYAVI’s signature percussive guitar intertwines with thrilling strings, creating a uniquely personal world that bursts with character.
Light The FuseMichael Giacchino
The main phrase of that ultra-famous theme from the Mission: Impossible series is so insanely catchy and hooky that it’s become symbolic of the franchise itself.
That’s why it appears frequently, in various forms, across the scores of every installment.
“Light The Fuse” is another track that cleverly weaves in that signature phrase while giving it a stylish, badass arrangement.
The title alone might ring a bell: it’s the piece that plays with the staff credits in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, right after the opening scene where Ethan escapes from the Moscow prison and says, “Light the fuse.” No two ways about it—pure, unadulterated cool.
DreamsThe Cranberries
While it has an overall fresh sound, this track stands out for its melodic lines with a flavor different from typical rock or pop, as well as its distinctive vocal delivery.
Anyone familiar with Western music of the 1990s will quickly recognize it as a 1993 smash hit by The Cranberries, the legendary band from Ireland.
In fact, the song was also used as an insert track in the first Mission: Impossible film.
It can be faintly heard as background music from the bar in the final scene, where the protagonist Ethan and the ace hacker Luther share a toast.
Although it’s included on the soundtrack, the volume in the film was so low that many viewers may have wondered where it actually appeared.
As an aside, this song was also used as the theme song “Dreams” covered by Faye Wong in the Hong Kong film Chungking Express.
Mission: Impossible ThemeTomoyasu Hotei
For any musician, the theme from Mission: Impossible is one of those pieces you’d want to try arranging at least once.
But precisely because it’s such a famous classic, it can make you hesitate.
The one who took on the mission of arranging this masterpiece was Japan’s renowned guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei.
To commemorate the Japanese release of the fourth film in the series, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, in 2011, Hotei—who, as it happens, is the same age as the film’s star Tom Cruise—was selected for the task, which is a rather nice story in itself.
His arrangement, which puts Hotei’s signature guitar front and center while still showing respect for the original, was used in promotional materials at the time.
These days, some people might not know the background, so take this opportunity to check it out.
Consequences of LoveDeath In Vegas
Anyone who has seen the sixth installment in the series, Mission: Impossible – Fallout (released in 2018), will likely recognize the track that plays while the protagonist Ethan and the key character Walker are searching for someone in a club.
Since the scene is set in a Paris nightclub, you’d want the music to be stylish and cool, with a hint of intrigue.
Perfectly fitting that moment is “Consequences Of Love,” released in 2016 by the British mavericks Death in Vegas.
Its minimally unfolding, distinctively psychedelic electro sound is irresistible.
If you recently watched the film and were curious about the track, be sure to check out not only the soundtrack that features it, but also Death in Vegas’s album Transmission.
Popular Songs and Insert Tracks from the Mission: Impossible Series (21–30)
Should You Choose to Accept…Lorne Balfe
The piece Should You Choose To Accept… was used in the latest installment of the hugely popular Mission: Impossible film series, Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
The composer is Lorne Balfe from the United Kingdom, an acclaimed composer who has also worked on titles such as Pacific Rim (released in 2018) and the Hollywood remake of Ghost in the Shell.
Featuring gentle string instruments that are quiet and beautiful, the track conveys a sense of poignancy and intense inner conflict.
