Diane Warren Writes Title Song for Mark Wahlberg Film 'By Any Means,' Performed by David Kushner and The Isley Brothers
Diane Warren has announced the release of "By Any Means," the title song for the upcoming feature film of the same name, performed as a collaboration between David Kushner and The Isley Brothers. The track was revealed on 19 August 2026, according to Billboard.
Warren is one of the most nominated songwriters in Oscar history. She has received 17 nominations for best original song — more than any other woman — and was given an honorary Oscar in 2022. Her catalogue of film songs spans decades, and each new title song enters an awards conversation that follows her work as a matter of routine.
The collaboration pairs two artists from very different points on the pop timeline. Kushner, a rising singer-songwriter, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 — the flagship US singles chart — in 2023 with his song "Daylight." The Isley Brothers bring a chart history stretching back to the 1950s, with 40 Hot 100 entries and three top 10 hits: "It's Your Thing," "That Lady (Part 1)" and "Fight the Power Part 1."
The film itself is directed by Elegance Bratton from a script by Sascha Penn. It is inspired by a true story set in the 1960s, centring on a young Black FBI agent — played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — sent to Mississippi to investigate a string of killings targeting civil rights leaders. The agent is forced to partner with Greg Scarpa, a hitman played by Mark Wahlberg.
What makes the song notable is the meeting of three distinct career arcs in a single track: Warren's songwriting, Kushner's recent chart presence, and the Isley Brothers' decades-long legacy. A title song performed by a legacy act and a newer artist is a familiar strategy for films seeking awards-season attention, and Warren's track record in that space gives the pairing a natural platform.
No release date for the film has been confirmed in the announcement. The song "By Any Means" is now available.
