Mission Impossible Soundtrack: Composers and Songs by Film

Six composers have scored the eight Mission: Impossible films: Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, Joe Kraemer, Lorne Balfe and Max Aruj. If you have ever wondered who did the soundtrack for Mission: Impossible, the answer depends on the film, because the series has usually handed the score to a new name.

Danny Elfman scored Mission: Impossible (1996), directed by Brian De Palma. His album, "Mission: Impossible: Music From the Original Motion Picture Score", came out on Point Music on June 18, 1996, with cues such as "Sleeping Beauty", "Red Handed" and "Mole Hunt". A separate Island release, "Mission: Impossible: Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture", arrived on May 14, 1996 and carries the songs.

Hans Zimmer followed on Mission: Impossible II (2000), directed by John Woo. Hollywood Records released "Mission: Impossible 2: Music From the Original Motion Picture Score" on June 13, 2000, and its track list includes "Hijack", "Seville", "Nyah (film version)" and "Bare Island".

Michael Giacchino took over for Mission: Impossible III (2006), the feature debut of J.J. Abrams as director. Varèse Sarabande released the album, simply titled "Mission: Impossible III", on May 9, 2006. "Factory Rescue" and "Helluvacopter Chase" are the action cues to look for, and "Ethan and Julia" is the quieter one.

Giacchino is the first composer to return, scoring Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), directed by Brad Bird. Varèse Sarabande released "Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol: Music From the Motion Picture" on December 13, 2011. The best known titles are "Light the Fuse", "Kremlin With Anticipation" and "A Man, a Plan, a Code, Dubai".

After that the series settled into the Christopher McQuarrie era, which covers the last four films. Joe Kraemer scored Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015). Lorne Balfe came next for Mission: Impossible: Fallout (2018) and kept the job on Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023). Max Aruj composed Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025).

It could be argued that the changing names matter less than the one constant: Lalo Schifrin's theme. It is credited on the 1996 soundtrack, and Zimmer, Giacchino and Elfman each keep a "Mission: Impossible Theme" cut in their track lists. That being said, the sound of each film shifts with its composer, much as a long running television drama can change its feel with a new showrunner. Giacchino and Balfe both scored two films, so those pairs are the best place to hear how one composer treats the same series twice.

If you want the films in sequence before you listen, the Mission Impossible movies in order guide sets out the release order, and the Mission Impossible cast page covers the people on screen.

Lalo Schifrin's "Theme from Mission: Impossible" is the best known song in the series. The other songs are scattered across the films, with rock tracks in Mission: Impossible II (2000), a mix of soul and pop in Mission: Impossible III (2006) and opera in Rogue Nation (2015). Only "Impossible" by Kanye West, Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ the Chicago Kid was written for its film, Mission: Impossible III (2006).

Who recorded the Mission: Impossible theme? Lalo Schifrin's "Theme from Mission: Impossible" is the version credited to him, and Mission: Impossible (1996) includes it. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are also credited with a "Theme from Mission: Impossible" on that film's song list, and The Cranberries' "Dreams" is listed for Mission: Impossible (1996) as well. Mission: Impossible III (2006) includes Schifrin's "Mission: Impossible Theme" too.

What songs are in Mission: Impossible II (2000)? Hans Zimmer scored the film, and its song list leans on rock. It includes "Take a Look Around" by Limp Bizkit, "I Disappear" by Metallica and "Iko Iko" by Zap Mama. "Iko Iko" plays in a remixed version while Ethan Hunt is rock climbing during his vacation.

What songs are in Mission: Impossible III (2006)? Michael Giacchino scored the film, and its song list is the widest in the series. "Impossible" plays over the end credits, and it is the one song written for the film. The rest of the list includes "Come Into My Life" by Jimmy Cliff, "Back Door Santa" by The Black Crowes, "Best of My Love" by The Emotions, "A Sunday Kind of Love" by Etta James, "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus and Chaka Khan, and "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge. J. J. Abrams, who directed the film, is credited on "Song 5000" and, with Thomas Dolby, on "Groksploitation".

What song plays in Ghost Protocol (2011)? "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" by Dean Martin plays during the opening Moscow prison breakout, where the agents free Ethan Hunt. The song is timed to the length of the escape. Michael Giacchino scored the film.

What about Rogue Nation (2015), Fallout (2018) and the later films? In Rogue Nation (2015), "Nessun dorma", the aria from Puccini's opera Turandot, plays during the Vienna opera house sequence. Joe Kraemer scored the film. In Fallout (2018), "Consequences of Love" by Death in Vegas and Sasha Grey is played by DJ Harvey, who appears as himself, for the crowd at the rave party in the Grand Palais scene. Lorne Balfe scored Fallout (2018). No signature song is recorded for Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) or The Final Reckoning (2025), though Lorne Balfe and Max Aruj scored them.

For the stunts behind these set pieces, see the Mission Impossible stunts page, and for release context see Mission Impossible box office.

Our picks: the best songs in the Mission: Impossible films (opinion)

• "Theme from Mission: Impossible" by Lalo Schifrin: in my opinion, it still tells you which film you are watching within two bars.
• "Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini: in my opinion, the aria gives the Vienna opera house sequence in Rogue Nation (2015) a sense of occasion that a new song would struggle to match.
• "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" by Dean Martin: in my opinion, timing the song to the Moscow prison breakout in Ghost Protocol (2011) is a clever touch.
• "Impossible" by Kanye West, Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ the Chicago Kid: in my opinion, it is the one song written for its film, and it suits the end credits of Mission: Impossible III (2006).
• "Consequences of Love" by Death in Vegas and Sasha Grey: in my opinion, DJ Harvey playing it as himself in the Grand Palais rave gives Fallout (2018) a memorable real world moment.
• "Take a Look Around" by Limp Bizkit: in my opinion, it pins Mission: Impossible II (2000) to its year more firmly than any other song on its list.
• "Iko Iko" by Zap Mama: in my opinion, the remixed version under the rock climbing vacation scene is a lighter pick than the rest of the list.