- Being asked to sing the James Bond theme is a huge honor for any artist
- In the past, the gig has gone to the likes of Sam Smith, Tom Jones and Paul McCartney
- But who is reportedly in the running to sing the theme for Bond 26?
James Bond seems to be the hot showbiz topic of the moment – with fans still wondering who will be the next 007, after Daniel Craig stepped down from the role in 2021.
Followers of the franchise are expecting a big shake up for the movie being dubbed Bond 26, after long-time heads Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli gave all creative control of the project over to Amazon MGM.
So while weâre still waiting to be put out of our misery as to who the new Bond could be, fans are also wondering who the next artist will be to take on the theme song.
The opportunity is seen as a great honor to any songwriter – with singers such as Adele, Madonna and Dame Shirley Bassey all stepping up to the plate in the past (although in Basseyâs case, it was actually a three-time gig!).
Many huge names in music are said to be in the running to take on the gig – but who do you think it will be?
Raye
Fans were blown away when Raye performed Adeleâs 2012 hit Skyfall at this yearâs Oscars ceremony.
So itâs no surprise that the South London singer, 27, is hotly-tipped to sing the next Bond theme.
While her career has already spanned more than 10 years, itâs only in the last year or so that Raye has seen her meteoric rise to fame.
Her single Escapism gained popularity on social media and became her first song to top the UK singles chart.
And in 2024, Raye 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.
The Worth It artist was also nominated for three Grammy awards at the 2025 ceremony, and performed during the show.
To further her case more, Raye has made no secret about how thrilled she would be to sing the next Bond theme.
âIf they called me, you can believe I would be there in a heartbeat,â she previously revealed.
âI would pitch as many songs as it took to get the right one that they like. That would be an absolute dream come true.â
Dua Lipa
Fellow Brit Dua Lipa is also reportedly in the running – and itâs far from the first time she has been involved in a big Hollywood production.
Lipa, 29, lent her vocals to the 2023 Barbie soundtrack, singing the hit song, Dance The Night.
The Training Season songstress is also no stranger to appearing on the big screen, after picking up a small role as Mermaid Barbie in the same movie – and also in spy movie, Argylle.
Away from movie music, Lipaâs popularity has grown across the globe since her rise to fame in 2018, and last year, the chart-topper headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.
Chappell Roan
Although Chappell Roan appears to be an overnight success, the singer has actually been working at her craft for years.
Roan, 27 – real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz – began her career in 2013, but, like Raye, it wasnât until last year that the Pink Pony Club singer gained prominence.
Earning the Grammy award for Best New Artist at this yearâs ceremony, Roanâs profile went from 0-100 overnight after the release of Good Luck, Babe! last year – and the star has previously commented on the difficulties of fame.
But she has had some serious backing from other celebrities for doing so – including former Bond star Daniel Craig, who praised her for having the âgutsâ to push back against toxic fan culture.
An incredible voice AND the approval of 007? Surely Roan is a shoo-inâŠ
Lana Del Rey
Letâs face it – with her sultry voice, Lana Del Rey is sort of the perfect candidate to sing the Bond theme.
But the Video Games singer, 39, already knows that – as she previously admitted one of her songs was actually written for a Bond movie.
While the track was rejected, fans have speculated that the track in question is 24, which was released on her 2015 album, Honeymoon.
It appears that Rey lost out on the gig to Sam Smith – as their song, Writingâs On The Wall was the Bond theme to Spectre, which was also released in 2015.
Not one to give up hope, Rey is still putting herself in the running to bag the slot one day.
âI mean, how has that not happened?â she said in the past.
âOne day, maybeâŠBut Iâm going to continue to do my little Nancy Sinatra thing every now and then and just pretend itâs the title track.â
Lady Gaga
Look, there is simply nothing that Lady Gaga cannot do.
The multi-talented star – who celebrates her 39th birthday today! – is no stranger to Hollywood, leading movies such as Joker: Folie Ă Deux (where she played Harley âLeeâ Quinzel to Joaquin Phoenixâs Joker), and Ally in the 2018 revival of A Star is Born.
For the latter, Gaga penned the song Shallow – and won an Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe award for her efforts.
Fans are currently going wild for her fifth solo album, MAYHEM – but Gaga has proven time and again that her genre-bending style can impress any audience, making her a good choice to create the next Bond theme.
Taylor Swift
Of all the artists on this list, Taylor Swift is surely the one that has the most dedicated fans – so is including the Bad Blood singer a sure-fire way to get Swifties into movie theaters?
Like some of the other candidates, Swift, 35, has also had her fair share of big-screen moments – from Valentineâs Day to Cats (although maybe less said about that, the better).
With a staggering 14 Grammy wins under her belt, thereâs no denying that Swift knows how to write a hit – so perhaps she could do so for the next Bond.
Who else could sing the next James Bond theme tune?
Several other huge artists are also said to be in the running to sing the next Bond song.
According to bookmakers, Florence And The Machine, Muse, and Lewis Capaldi all have a shot, as do Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, and SZA.
Wicked star Ariana Grandeâs name has been floated, along with Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, and British artist Sam Fender.
Bookies also think Billie Eilish could return to the franchise for a second time, while others think Adele and Sam Smith may also make a reappearance.
