Speculation is rife about who will step into Daniel Craig’s shiny shoes and play the next James Bond, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson currently the frontrunner.
With all that chatter comes rumours about which musician will sing the next movie’s theme tune.
Previously, megastars including Adele and Billie Eilish have lent their vocals to the 007 franchise, with Skyfall (2012) and No Time To Die (2020) already becoming favourites among action fans.
Sam Smith also delivered a powerful theme tune in the form of 2015’s Writing’s On The Wall from Spectre, and even Madonna has played her part, performing Die Another Day in 2002, marking Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as Bond.
It’s currently unknown who will step into the recording booth and belt out the tune for the next instalment, but that hasn’t stopped people from getting their predictions in early.
Who do you think will follow in the footsteps of Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Paul McCartney? Here are the contenders, and the odds according to Ladbroke…
Oasis – 7/1
It’s been a ‘biblical’ year for Noel and Liam Gallagher, as their historic reunion tour has proven to be an almighty success story after their years-long feud and resulting absence.
After a James Bond hiatus – with still no official word about who will be the next 007 – it seems fitting the brothers could be taking up the task of penning and singing the theme tune.
A source told The Sun: ‘The 007 films are one of the great British franchises.
‘And who better to record the theme song than one of the greatest ever British bands?
‘Liam’s swagger and Noel’s anthemic music would be perfect to soundtrack the new film.’
The source added that they believe that Noel would be keen to join the number of artists who have performed the theme tune.
‘It is no secret that Noel is a big fan of the Bond films and he would love to have his name listed as one of the few songwriters of a Bond theme amongst greats like Sir Paul McCartney, Duran Duran and Adele,’ they said.
He previously told NME that he was irritated Jack White had written the theme for Quantum Of Solace: ‘It’s a p**s-take that the greatest British agent of all time has to be soundtracked by a bunch of f***ing Americans.
‘I’ve written a couple of Bond theme tunes,’ he added. ‘They haven’t got very Bond-esque titles, so I would have to tailor the title accordingly. The latest one that I wrote, I listened back to it thinking, “F*****g hell man, that’d make a fing great Bond theme”.’
Raye – 3/1
Brit Award-winning singer Raye is up there as an artist fans think is most likely to sing the next Bond theme.
Despite her career spanning more than 10 years, the Prada hitmaker rose to prominence in 2024 when her single Escapism gained popularity on social media and became her first song to top the UK singles chart.
In the same year, she won six Brit Awards, including British Artist of the Year, breaking the record for the artist to win the most awards in a single ceremony.
So what better way to cap off her meteoric rise to fame than a track on the latest James Bond movie? Her genre-bending style would add a unique flair to welcome in a new leading man.
‘If they called me, you can believe I would be there in a heartbeat,’ Rayetold Metro when asked about the possibility of singing a song for the film.
‘I would pitch as many songs as it took to get the right one that they like. That would be an absolute dream come true.’
Betfred’s Robert Ford previously told Metro: ‘Raye once previously claimed that she’d jump at the opportunity in a ‘heartbeat’ if asked to do so and after her historic six Brit Award wins last year, she certainly has the star power to follow in the footsteps of Billie Eilish, Sam Smith and Adele.’
Dua Lipa – 2/1
It’s been one hell of a year for Dua Lipa, who has released smash hit singles such as Training Season and Illusion, with her third studio album, Radical Optimism, topping the charts in the UK and across Europe.
She also headlined Glastonbury, with thousands of revellers eating out of the palm of her hand as she commanded attention on the Pyramid Stage.
So, it probably comes as no surprise that she’s the current favourite to sing the next Bond theme song.
Gambling.com previously had her odds at 6/4, with the site’s entertainment expert James Leyfield telling Metro: ‘Dua Lipa is among the frontrunners to be the next Bond Girl, and it’s thought she could provide a two-for-one deal for savvy Bond bosses.
‘Should the Glastonbury headliner be cast in the movie, she will no doubt be a shoo-in to also perform the theme tune.’
This certainly wouldn’t be the first time the Grammy winner has played a key role in a major Hollywood production.
The Don’t Start Now hitmaker nabbed small roles in spy caper Argylle, as well as in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, the soundtrack of the latter featuring her bop Dance The Night.
Sam Fender – 4/1
Sam Fender’s soulful tenor roars would make excellent James Bond theme tune fodder, and with the release of his first album in three years in People Watching, the Geordie is in music-making and touring mode.
With a dark and moody edge to many of his songs, the 31-year-old could be a brilliant option for Bond’s return, as he often sings about men in isolation and injustice – themes the franchise also focuses on.
It would be a brilliant moment for Newcastle, that’s for sure.
Chappell Roan – 4/1
Chappell Roan rose to fame at record speed as her singles took social media by storm.
As well as her catchy pop ditties and bold looks, fans have fallen in love with the singer, real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, for her no-nonsense attitude and honest approach to fame.
So much so that former Bond star Craig praised the star for having the ‘guts’ to push back against toxic fan culture.
While her career began in 2013, it wasn’t until the singer released her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in 2023 that she really started to gain traction.
The record contained singles Pink Pony Club, Good Luck Babe, and Hot To Go!, and received a Grammy Award nomination for album of the year.
She has done everything from releasing country albums to heartfelt ballads and smash hit club songs, so the singer certainly has the range and talent to create a Bond hit.
Lana Del Rey – 6/1
Lana Del Rey is another contender to sing the next Bond theme with odds of 6/1.
The singer revealed last year that she had actually written one of her past songs for a Bond movie – and had it rejected.
Her ‘dark’ and ‘broody’ vocal talents have already been praised by experts for the gig, with Lana making it clear she’d love to be involved in Bond somehow.
‘I mean, how has that not happened?’ she said previously.
She continued: ‘One day, maybe…But I’m going to continue to do my little Nancy Sinatra thing every now and then and just pretend it’s the title track.’
The singer performed part of her song 24, which was released in her 2015 album, Honeymoon.
If you want to hear that song, you can right here.
As 24 was released in 2015, it seems the tune was written for the 2015 Bond movie Spectre, which featured Sam Smith’s song Writing’s On the Wall.
Maybe the latest film is when the award-winning songstress will get her chance to shine on the big screen.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga? Singing the next James Bond theme song? Surely it just makes sense.
The Bad Romance hitmaker is certainly no stranger when it comes to combining her two worlds of acting and singing, and though she’s dipped out the odds now, earlier this year her name was a big contender.
In 2018, she starred opposite Bradley Cooper in the musical romantic drama A Star is Born. The film earned many prestigious accolades, with Shallow winning best original song at the 76th Golden Globe Awards.
More recently, Gaga joined Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux, playing Harley ‘Lee’ Quinzel.
In conjunction with the blockbuster, she released a covers album. This features her renditions of timeless classics, such as Judy Garland’s Get Happy, proving (well, not that we needed any convincing) that she’s got the soulful pipes required to sing something as big as a Bond theme.
With a brand new album titled Mayhem on the horizon, it could be a remarkable year for the pop icon.
Taylor Swift
With her phenomenally successful Eras Tour ending last year, what better way for Taylor Swift to fill her time than by effortlessly penning a Bond theme song?
The global star has plenty of experience when it comes to films, from the Hannah Montana movie to Valentine’s Day to Cats.
BetIdeas.com spokesperson Lee Astley previously said that Taylor is certainly not to be taken out of the running.
‘Taylor Swift has been a force to be reckoned with over the past year or so and her seven-award haul at the VMAs this year has her as a brand-new entry in the market to sing the next Bond theme song.’
Lee continued to praise Taylor’s ‘dulcet tones’, which would fit perfectly on a Bond soundtrack.
Who else could sing the next James Bond theme tune?
Several huge artists are also among Ladbroke’s list of singers who could sing the next Bond song.
Miley Cyrus and Sabrina Carpenter are also contenders with odds of 12/1, and 14/1, respectivly.
Who do you want to sing the next James Bond theme?
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Raye
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Dua Lipa
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Sam Fender
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Oasis
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Chappell Roan
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Lana Del Ray
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Taylor Swift
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Lady Gaga
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None of the above
The original version of this article was published on February 2, 2025.
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