Goya Award for Best Original Song

The Goya Award for Best Original Song is a Spanish film award presented annually since 2000 by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain (AACCE). It awards the songwriters of the best original song written specifically for a Spanish film. The award is best suited for songwriters and composers working in Spanish cinema who want recognition from Spain's principal film institution. The 2026 ceremony (40th edition, held February 28, 2026) awarded "Flores para Antonio" by Alba Flores and Silvia Perez Cruz, from the documentary of the same name about Alba's father, musician Antonio Flores.

2026 Ceremony Highlights

The 40th Goya Awards took place on February 28, 2026 at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB). Alba Flores' acceptance speech for Best Original Song became the most viral moment of the ceremony. She dedicated the award to her father, who died when she was eight years old, and closed her speech by singing a capella the line "Prometo ver la alegria, escarmentar de la experiencia, pero nunca, nunca mas usar la violencia" from her father's song "No dudaria," bringing the entire auditorium to its feet. The full highlights reel from the 2026 ceremony includes her speech:

The ceremony opened with Rigoberta Bandini (a 2023 winner in this category) and Luis Tosar performing "Hoy puede ser un gran dia":

Submission and Eligibility Details

The category was introduced at the 15th Goya Awards in 2000. The Goya Awards themselves were first presented in 1987, a year after the AACCE was founded on January 8, 1986. Key eligibility details:

• Only songs written specifically for a Spanish film qualify
• The film must be eligible for Goya Awards consideration
• The award is presented to the songwriters, not the performers, unless the performer also has a writing credit
• The AACCE has approximately 3,000 members who vote on winners
• No songwriter has won the Best Original Song category more than once, suggesting the academy values diversity in recognition
• The ceremony is televised on public broadcaster Television Espanola (TVE)
• The ceremony moves between Spanish cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Valencia, Valladolid, and Granada

The 2026 ceremony (the 40th edition) took place on February 28, 2026 at the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB). "Flores para Antonio" by Alba Flores and Silvia Perez Cruz won Best Original Song. The other nominees were "Hasta que me quede sin voz" by Leiva (from Hasta que me quede sin voz), "La cena" by Victor Manuel (from Por La cena), "Parecido a un asesinato" by Blanca Paloma Ramos, Jose Pablo Polo, and Luis Ivars, and "Caigan las rosas blancas" by Paloma Penarrubia Ruiz (from La Arepera).

Past winners include Luz Casal for "Tu bosque animado" from El bosque animado (2001), Manu Chao for "Me llaman calle" from Princesas (2005), Jorge Drexler for "Que el soneto nos tome por sorpresa" from Lope (2010), India Martinez for "Nino sin miedo" from El Nino (2014), Pablo Alboran for "Palmeras en la nieve" (2015), Silvia Perez Cruz for "Ai, ai, ai" from Cerca de tu casa (2016), Leiva for "La llamada" (2017), and Coque Malla for "Este es el momento" from Campeones (2018).

Complete Winners List (2000 to 2025)

Leiva is the only songwriter to win this category twice: in 2017 for "La llamada" from La llamada and in 2022 for "Sintiendolo mucho" from the documentary Sintiendolo Mucho (shared with Joaquin Sabina). Composer Roque Banos holds the record for most nominations with four. Starting with the 39th ceremony (2024), the AACCE requires producers to sign a declaration that submitted songs do not use AI-generated compositions.

Key Benefits for Artists

• Spanish-speaking market reach: The Goya Awards are Spain's equivalent of the Academy Awards. Winning provides exposure across Spain and Latin America, a combined market of over 500 million Spanish speakers.
• Televised ceremony: The ceremony is broadcast on TVE, providing public visibility across Spain.
• Less historical saturation: The category has existed only since 2000, making the field less historically saturated than the Oscar equivalent (which started in 1934).
• No-repeat pattern: The fact that no songwriter has won twice suggests the academy actively seeks new voices, creating opportunities for first-time applicants.
• Focused competitive field: The requirement that songs be written for a Spanish film creates a focused competitive field, not a global free-for-all.

Potential Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Spanish film requirement: Only songs written for Spanish films qualify. The film must be eligible for Goya Awards consideration.
• Language barrier: Songwriters who do not speak Spanish face obvious barriers.
• Limited international reach: The award is specific to Spain. Recognition outside Spanish-speaking markets is limited. The TVE broadcast reaches a Spanish audience but has limited international distribution.
• Non-specialist voting: The AACCE's 3,000 members vote on winners, meaning non-music specialists influence outcomes.
• Smaller film industry: The Spanish film industry is smaller than Hollywood, meaning fewer film projects and fewer song opportunities.
• Less historical prestige: The category has existed only since 2000, giving it less historical weight than longer-running film music awards.
• Moving ceremony: The ceremony moves between cities, which can affect accessibility for nominees.

Related Resources

• Creating Music for Sync Licensing: Production Tips - Practical advice for writing music for film
• Music Awards Directory - Browse all music awards in our directory
• Academy Award for Best Original Song - Compare with the Oscar equivalent
• Goya Award for Best Original Score - The companion category for instrumental film scores
• Latin Grammy Awards - The other major Spanish-language music award
• Official website: premiosgoya.com