10 Best Superhero Movie Theme Songs

The superhero theme song is as iconic to many as their costume and power set. Who doesn't hear the word 'Batman' and start singing the theme to the Adam West series? Or say the word 'Spider-Man' and not start thinking about how he can do whatever a spider can?

But in modern times, superhero themes are no longer about catchy lyrics. They are about summarizing the ideals and attitude of the hero in musical form; a triumphant fanfare announcing their arrival that makes you want to cheer. Even subpar superhero movies like Batman Forever and 2005's Fantastic Four have memorable theme songs and, though they don't save their respective films, they do make them a little more bearable.

With so many great ones already established, it's becoming less and less common to find a superhero theme that really sticks in the mind or is instantly recognisable. Seriously, can anyone remember a note of the themes to Thor or The Incredible Hulk or Iron Man? No, the Black Sabbath song doesn't count.

So when one comes along the immediately sticks in the mind and perfectly matches its respective character, it is literal music to the ears. Today, we celebrate the great superhero movies with theme songs as heroic as their leading characters. Whether they are classic themes now deeply rooted in pop culture or recent examples that deserve to reach that milestone, these are the pieces of music that'll make you want to leap up and fly triumphantly through the skies.

Creating a score for a character as bizarre and unconventional as Doctor Strange must have been a difficult task, but composer Michael Giacchino managed it by tapping into the otherworldly nature of the character and creating a theme that perfectly suits this mystical superhero.

Doctor Strange is a character rooted in the psychedelic culture of the 1960s he was created in, and Giacchino's music utilizes that inspiration to create a surreal soundscape but without losing the heroic nature of the character. In one instance, it can sound like a powerful and operatic score, and the next it sounds like something you could easily get high to.

That approach makes Doctor Strange's theme not only perfectly suited to the character, but also wholly unique and memorable. Giacchino certainly gives it his intrinsic flourishes, as the piece wouldn't feel too out of place in one of his Star Trek scores, but for a comic book movie it feels completely fresh. Be honest: what other superhero could get away with having a sitar riff in their theme song?