Whether it’s classical, fusion, hip hop, or pop, spy music is a genre all its own. It’s also been parodied by Nancy Sinatra, including in “Last of the Secret Agents.” Spy music has also been featured in non-spy films, including Hitch with Wil Smith. The soundtrack of Back to the Incredibles has a constant spy track, based on the music of John Barry and Henry Mancini. Lastly, in recent times, some popular artists have remixed the music of the genre, including Garbage and The Clash.
In addition to the classic sounds of spies, spy music can be anything from lounge tunes of the fifties and 60s to orchestral themes with heavy rhythm components. Although spy music has a distinctly film-inspired feel, it was originally made as soundtrack material for the movies themselves. Spy music is known for conveying confidence and excitement. The music often begins with a string chord progression and resolves with a guitar motif.