Academy Award for Best Original Song

The Academy Award for Best Original Song is an annual Oscar category presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since 1934. It recognizes songwriters of the best original song written specifically for a film. The award is best suited for songwriters and composers who create music for cinema, not standalone releases. The 2026 winner was "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters, the first K-pop song to win an Oscar.

At the 98th Oscars on March 15, 2026, EJAE took the stage to accept the award on behalf of seven credited writers. Her speech referenced her childhood as a K-pop fan who was mocked by peers, and she dedicated the award to "people who have had doors closed on them." The broadcast cut short one of her co-writers before he could speak, drawing attention on social media.

Past Winners by Category and Year

The Academy Award for Best Original Song has been presented at every ceremony since 1934 (with the category becoming competitive in 1935). Below is a reference table of winners from the last four ceremonies, including the film each song appeared in and its credited writers.

The 2026 winner set several records. "Golden" became the first K-pop song to win an Oscar, the first song with more than four credited writers to win in this category, and the first Best Original Song winner where not all writers received individual statuettes due to rule changes. The 2025 winner "El Mal" also won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song in the same year, completing the awards season sweep. The 2024 winner Billie Eilish became the youngest two-time Oscar winner in history at age 22, having previously won for "No Time to Die" from the 2021 James Bond film. The 2023 winner "Naatu Naatu" was the first song from an Indian film production to win in this category.

At the 97th Oscars on March 2, 2025, Mick Jagger presented the Best Original Song award. Camille and Clement Ducol accepted the award for "El Mal" from Emilia Perez, with Camille opening her speech by singing the "whoo-woo" chant from the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" in tribute to Jagger. She described the song as "a song to denounce corruption" and closed the speech by harmonizing with Ducol.

Billie Eilish and Finneas performed "What Was I Made For?" live at the 96th Oscars on March 10, 2024, backed by an orchestra. The performance received a standing ovation from the Dolby Theatre audience. Eilish later said she "had a nightmare about this" before winning the award, and thanked her choir teacher, noting "you didn't like me, but you were good at your job."

At the 95th Oscars on March 12, 2023, "Naatu Naatu" from RRR became the first song from an Indian production to win Best Original Song. Composer M.M. Keeravani delivered his acceptance speech by singing to the melody of The Carpenters' 1973 hit "Top of the World," replacing the lyrics with his own tribute to director S.S. Rajamouli and India. Lyricist Chandrabose concluded with a single word: "Namaste." Earlier in the broadcast, singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed the song live with a troupe of over 20 dancers, receiving a standing ovation.

Submission and Eligibility Details

The category was introduced at the 7th Academy Awards in 1934. Con Conrad won the inaugural award for "The Continental" from The Gay Divorcee. Only songs written specifically for a film qualify. Pre-existing songs licensed for film use are not eligible. The film must be submitted to AMPAS General Entry as a feature-length narrative or documentary. Short films do not qualify for music categories.

The submission and voting process works in stages:

• Academy members who are songwriters and composers vote to create a 15-song shortlist from hundreds of submissions
• The same group narrows the shortlist to 5 final nominees
• The full Academy membership (approximately 10,000 members across all branches) votes on the winner
• A maximum of two statuettes are normally given (one for the composer, one for the lyricist)
• A third statuette may be awarded when three writers contributed equally
• Performers are not credited unless they contributed to the music, lyrics, or both

The 2026 ceremony (the 98th Oscars) took place on March 15, 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters won with seven credited writers (EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park). It was the first song with more than four writers to win in this category. The other 2026 nominees were "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless (Diane Warren), "I Lied to You" from Sinners (Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson), "Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdi! (Nicholas Pike), and "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams (Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner).

Key Benefits for Artists

• Career transformation: Winning an Oscar for Best Original Song can change a songwriter's career overnight. The global television audience for the Academy Awards exceeds 20 million US viewers.
• Industry credibility: An Oscar win leads to film scoring contracts, publishing deals, and higher sync licensing fees. Ludwig Goransson, who won for "I Lied to You" from Sinners in 2026 (Original Score category), has built a career on Oscar recognition.
• Shortlist exposure: The 15-song shortlist provides exposure even without a nomination. Making the shortlist signals industry recognition.
• Dual exposure: Songwriters who perform their own nominated songs gain visibility as both writers and artists during the Oscar broadcast.
• Historical significance: The category has produced 90+ winners since 1934. Past winners include "Over the Rainbow" (1939), "Moon River" (1961), "Lose Yourself" (2002), and "Let It Go" (2014).

Potential Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Film requirement only: Songs must be written specifically for a qualifying film. Standalone releases are not eligible. This limits access for songwriters who do not work in film.
• Extremely competitive: Hundreds of submissions are narrowed to 15, then 5. The final winner is decided by the full Academy membership, meaning voters who are not music specialists influence the outcome.
• Campaign costs: Securing a nomination requires significant resources. Film studios typically handle Oscar campaigning. Independent artists without studio backing face disadvantages in visibility.
• Arrangement changes: The ceremony's performance slot may require changes to the song's arrangement to fit the broadcast format.
• Writer credit limits: The rules around multiple writer credits have evolved. The 2026 winner had seven credited writers, but all did not receive individual trophies due to rule changes.

Related Resources

• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - How award recognition fits into broader revenue strategies
• Creating Music for Sync Licensing: Production Tips - Practical advice for writing music for film and TV
• Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Estimate fair sync fees for your film music
• Music Awards Directory - Browse all music awards in our directory
• Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - The January film song award that often predicts the Oscar winner
• Grammy Awards - Peer-voted music awards including Song of the Year for film music
• Goya Award for Best Original Song - Spanish film academy equivalent of the Best Original Song Oscar
• Screen Music Awards - Awards recognizing music composed for film and television
• Official website: oscars.org