Bond 25: Who should sing the theme for 'No Time To Die'?

Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in No Time To Die. (Universal Pictures/EON)
Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in No Time To Die. (Universal Pictures/EON)

The theme song is as crucially important to a James Bond film as the plot, the cars, the gadgets or the villain.

A killer tune can elevate a Bond film beyond its stature (Shirley Bassey’s Diamonds Are Forever), a bad one can dent its reputation further (Moonraker, also Shirley Bassey), while the worst ones are often sympatico with the most dreadful movies (Madonna’s Die Another Day).

So with the release of No Time To Die looming in 2020, speculation has begun on who will be singing the song - likely of the same name - that plays over the title sequence.

Ed Sheeran has thrown his hat into the ring for the gig, with his manager Stuart Camp revealing that the ginger singer met No Time To Die producer Barbara Broccoli in 2017 and discussed the possibility.

Read more: The troubled timeline of Bond 25

But is being the most successful pop star in the world right now enough qualification to sing a Bond theme? It certainly worked for Adele on 2012’s Skyfall, but her orchestral, sweeping style was a great fit for Bond whereas Sheeran’s acoustic, busker style doesn’t immediately seem entirely appropriate.

However, if it’s not going to be Ed Sheeran, who *should* sing No Time To Die? Don’t forget to vote in the poll at the bottom of the article to have your say.

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa at the amfAR Cannes Gala 2019 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 23, 2019 in Cap d'Antibes, France. (Photo by: P. Lehman) (Photo credit should read P. Lehman / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
Dua Lipa at the amfAR Cannes Gala 2019 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 23, 2019. (P. Lehman / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

With EON, the production company responsible for the Bond films, hoping to draw in new punters for No Time To Die, we wouldn’t be surprised if they turned to someone with a younger audience for theme duties, and 24-year-old Brit Dua Lipa would certainly fit that bill.

She describes her sound as “dark pop” and has the pipes to belt out a killer ballad. Plus her self-titled debut album was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic, so we bet she’s in EON’s sights already.

Janelle Monáe

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 02: Janelle Monáe performs at the Lollapalooza Music Festival at Grant Park on August 02, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic)
Janelle Monáe performs at the Lollapalooza Music Festival at Grant Park, 2019. (Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic)

Singer-turned actress Janelle Monáe is the one name out there who we could sing the theme song, play the Bond girl, heck even be a future 007 themselves, and she already has tunes that exude Big Bond Energy.

Have a listen to ‘Sincerely, Jane’ from her 2007 EP Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) and tell us she’s not the perfect fit for the gig.

Lana Del Rey

BENICASSIM, SPAIN - JULY 19: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Lana Del Rey performs in concert during the Festival Internacional de Benicassim on July 19, 2019 in Benicassim, Spain. (Photo by Xavi Torrent/Redferns)
Lana Del Rey performs in concert during the Festival Internacional de Benicassim on July 19, 2019. (Photo by Xavi Torrent/Redferns)

American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey’s style is often described as cinematic, and she was once described as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra", who of course sang the theme for You Only Live Twice.

Read more: No Time To Die to introduce ‘new 007’

A Del Rey tune for No Time To Die would have widescreen appeal, and with an American behind the camera (director Cary Joji Fukunaga), he might want to send singing duties Stateside too.

Biffy Clyro

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT - JUNE 16: Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro performs on stage during Isle of Wight Festival 2019 at Seaclose Park on June 16, 2019 in Newport, Isle of Wight. (Photo by Rob Ball/WireImage)
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro performs on stage during Isle of Wight Festival 2019 at Seaclose Park on June 16, 2019. (Photo by Rob Ball/WireImage)

A popular suggestion online to sing the theme song for Daniel Craig’s 007 swansong are Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro. Bond themes generally go to solo singers (Duran Duran, a-ha, and Garbage being the obvious exceptions to the rule) but the Kilmarnock rockers’ bombastic sound with their soaring choruses would be a great fit should No Time To Die want to follow in Casino Royale’s footsteps and opt for a rockier theme. The bands limited appeal Stateside might rule them out.

Adele (again)

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2013 file photo, singer Adele performs during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Adele is asking presidential candidates to stop using her music at their campaign events. “Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning,” a spokesman for the singer said in a statement Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. Trump has played the British singer’s "Rolling in the Deep" in Oklahoma and the "Skyfall" theme at an event in Ohio. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee also posted a parody video of Adele’s “Hello,” which was muted after Adele’s team intervened. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Adele performs during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Adele’s Oscar-winning Skyfall theme is one of the all-time great Bond songs with real 007 swagger, so why not tempt her back to see Daniel Craig out in style? Her last album 25 was released in 2015, and she’s rumoured to be working on her fourth studio album at the moment, so the timing could work perfectly. If she returned, she’d be the first to perform multiple Bond songs since Shirley Bassey.

Beyoncé

Beyonce performs at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday Aug. 28, 2011, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Beyonce performs at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday Aug. 28, 2011, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

The former Destiny’s Child singer is arguably the most critically-acclaimed female artist in the world right now, and only ever gets out of bed for the most prestigious of projects. Her last tour (On the Run II Tour with husband Jay-Z) album (2016’s Lemonade), Netflix film (Homecoming), and Disney movie (The Lion King) have all been massive cultural events, and what bigger pop culture jewel to add to her glittering crown that a Bond theme?

Read more: Who is the new Little Mermaid?

And what better way to distance herself from her previous spy movie: Austin Powers: Goldmember, in which she starred and recorded classic bop Work It Out for the soundtrack.

Muse

Dominic Howard, drummer, Matt Bellamy, center, and Chris Wolstenholme of the band Muse perform in concert during their "Simulation Theory World Tour" at The Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Philadelphia. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)
Dominic Howard, drummer, Matt Bellamy, and Chris Wolstenholme of the band Muse perform in concert during their "Simulation Theory World Tour", 2019. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)

Although their status as one of the most exciting rock bands on the planet may be waning, Teignmouth trio Muse retain a huge global following and continue to sell out stadiums around the world. They have a huge, doomy sound that would fill the screen for No Time To Die, sending Daniel Craig off into the sunset on an all time high.

No Time To Die, starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes is set to release in the U.K. on 3 April and in the U.S on 8 April, 2020.