"Licence to Kill" was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 30, 1989, by MCA Records.

The song became a top-10 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number six and becoming Knight's last charting solo single there.

It also peaked at number 79 on Canada's RPM 100 Singles chart but did not appear on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Jerry Smith from Music Week wrote, "Gladys Knight beats all-comers for the dubious pleasure of singing the theme to the latest Bond movie, written and produced by Narada Michael Walden, and basically a pastiche of the best of the previous themes.

"[3] Pat Sharp for Smash Hits felt "Licence to Kill" "sounds very dramatic and James Bond-y".