Noel Gallagher has declared he would "absolutely" write the theme song for the next James Bond film if offered the chance, calling the prospect an "absolute honour." The legendary Oasis songwriter also staked a claim for British artists, suggesting the iconic job should stay on home soil.
A Mancunian Villain on Screen?
Speaking to TalkSport, Gallagher confirmed there has been no official contact from the franchise's producers, but he would leap at the opportunity. A self-professed long-time Bond fan, he had previously said he'd record a song for 007 "in a heartbeat." Beyond music, the musician even floated the idea of appearing on screen, expressing interest in portraying a "Mancunian villain" in a future instalment.
His comments follow rumours that Oasis had been approached for the prestigious musical role. Those whispers were fuelled in December when his brother and former bandmate, Liam Gallagher, responded to a fan on X (formerly Twitter) about the speculation, writing: "It's happening you wait till you hear it it's the best BOND tune ever." The siblings recently completed Oasis's sold-out 'Live 25' tour in November, performing 41 shows across 13 countries.
A British Institution, But Often a Foreign Voice
Gallagher was firm on his belief about who should compose the next Bond anthem. "I think those kinds of things should be done by Brits not Yanks," he stated. This taps into a long-standing debate, as despite the film series being a quintessentially British creation, its theme songs have frequently been performed by international artists.
The tradition of a dedicated theme song began with the first film, 1962's 'Dr No'. Of the 25 Bond films produced to date, only eight have featured songs by British acts. These include:
- Shirley Bassey (Goldfinger - 1964, Diamonds Are Forever - 1971)
- Paul McCartney and Wings (Live and Let Die - 1973)
- Duran Duran (A View to a Kill - 1985)
- Adele (Skyfall - 2012)
- Sam Smith (Spectre - 2015)
English composer John Barry, who scored many of the early films, and Tom Jones are also among the British contributors.
An Uncertain Future for 007
The future of the Bond franchise is currently in a state of flux. Since Daniel Craig's departure after 2021's 'No Time to Die,' his replacement has not been announced. Furthermore, the rights are now owned by Amazon MGM Studios, meaning the next film will be the first without the direct creative oversight of Eon Productions, the long-time stewards who historically influenced the choice of theme song artist.
This new era creates an open field for who might next provide the signature sound for the world's most famous spy. For now, Noel Gallagher has firmly thrown his hat into the ring, championing British talent for one of the nation's most iconic cultural exports.
