5 Reasons Sam Smith Must Sing the Bond Theme

With the next 007 only a year away, the producers have to start locking things down. One of these things is, of course, who's gonna sing the theme song. According to Page Six, it's going to be Sam Smith. The Post's gossip page reports that Smith has been in talks with the film's producers and has edged out Lana Del Rey for the gig.

Though Smith's people haven't confirmed this, we think Sam's the man for the job. If you need more convincing, let us plead our case; here are the five reasons Sam Smith should sing the next Bond theme:

1. Smith meshes well with the franchise's tone...

You might be asking, how does Sam Smith--a 22-year-old kid who sings about heartbreak--fit with the 007 brand; one that's imbued with danger, sex, and exoticism? Not a bad question, but let's look at the series. Ever since the Casino Royale reboot, the Bond movies have gotten the gritty, darker treatment (a la Christopher Nolan's The Dark Night trilogy). No more Bond girls with sex puns for names, gone are the submarine watches and golden guns.

If there's one thing Smith knows, it's how to delve deep into himself and dredge up his innermost pain and emotions and put them to song. Considering that the new films venture to explore the darker, more human sides of Bond's character, Smith's talent for digging deep could come in handy.

2. Sam's also a change of pace.

Of all the 23 canonical Bond films, only five of the theme songs have been sung by men. Many of those have been absolute gems, including "Live and Let Die," by Paul McCartney and Wings and Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill." While the Bond theme song is normally sung by chanteuses (Shirley Bassey) or divas (Tina Turner or Nancy Sinatra), let's not forget this is a fresh start for the franchise. Sure the sultry lounge-singer vibe worked back in the day--Bassey's rendition of "Goldfinger" is an absolute classic--but with the series taking a new direction, maybe a break with tradition might be a good thing.

3. It's about time.

The opportunity to record a bond theme song is normally bestowed upon singers when they're in the prime of their stardom: Carly Simon in the '70s, Sheena Easton and Duran Duran in the '80s, Garbage and Sheryl Crow in the '90s, Alicia Keys and Adele in this century. Smith has certainly hit his stride: He's one of the biggest things in music today. The time is now for him to take a crack at recording a Bond tune.

4. He can show off his range.

Smith may have taken the world by storm, but, in reality, he's touring off of one album. In the Lonely Hour is brilliant and certainly one of the best albums of the year. However, it does boil down to the same themes, unrequited love and loss, and Smith stays firmly in his soul-inspired comfort zone. While that's all well and good, it's not the makings of the anthem to a high-octane, globetrotting, gunslinging, 007 adventure. This is the perfect opportunity for Smith to show off his range, both vocally and as a songwriter. Give us your best shot, Smith.

5. He can make it epic.

There's no room for subtly or nuance in a 007 theme. It's a big, pull-out-all-the-stops, belt-your-lungs-out extravaganza. Many singers could lay done a memorable track, but Smith has the pipes and the vocal range to turn out something awesome. Whomever's going to record the song has some big shoes to fill; Adele's "Skyfall" won a Brit Award, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar. You can't follow that up with a catchy pop number. It's go big or go home and Smith has the chops to do it as big or even bigger.