best original song

In the 90 years that the Oscars have had a best original song category, just one songwriter has been nominated in that category eight years running. The late lyricist Sammy Cahn was nominated every year from 1954 through 1961, winning three times during that streak, for “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “All the Way” and “High Hopes,” all recorded by Frank Sinatra.
Diane Warren has a chance to tie Cahn’s record on Jan. 17, 2025, when the nominations for the 97th annual Academy Award are announced. Warren is pinning her hopes on the song “The Journey” from Tyler Perry’s upcoming World War II drama, The Six Triple Eight. Netflix is set to release the film later this year.

This would be Warren’s 16th career nomination in the category, a total reached by only three songwriters in history. Cahn leads with 26 nods, followed by Johnny Mercer with 18 and Paul Francis Webster with 16. If she is nominated, Warren would pull ahead of Alan & Marilyn Bergman, who had 15 nominations in this category, making Warren the woman with the most nods in this category. (Unlike all of these other songwriters, Warren has yet to win in the category.)

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In an interesting plot twist, “The Journey” was recorded for the film’s soundtrack by H.E.R., who beat Warren for the Oscar in early 2021. “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah, which H.E.R. cowrote with Dernst Emile II (D’Mile) and Tiara Thomas, beat “Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se), which Warren co-wrote with Laura Pausini. Warren’s song had earlier won the Golden Globe.

The Six Triple Eight showcases the contributions of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-woman battalion, in World War II. Perry wrote, directed and co-produced the film, which is based on historian Kevin M. Hymel’s article “WAC Corporal Lena Derriecott and the 6888th Central Postal Battalion,” which was published in the February 2019 issue of WWII History magazine.

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion contributed to the war effort by sorting through a huge backlog of undelivered mail and delivering it to American soldiers. “The Journey” is described as “a tribute to those who face seemingly insurmountable barriers yet persevere and ultimately triumph” — a familiar theme in Warren’s film songs.

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H.E.R. recorded and released “The Journey” in 2023. It was featured in various in-game ESPN production elements throughout the channel’s NBA Playoffs coverage, starting April 15, 2023. Three months later, on July 12, she sang it live on the 2023 EPSY Awards.

So how can the song be eligible for best original song for a yet-to-be-released 2024 film and potentially compete for awards to be presented in 2025? Because Warren wrote the song for the film.

It was announced in December 2022 that Tyler Perry would be writing and directing the film at Netflix. In January 2023, the cast, including Kerry Washington, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey, was announced, with Washington also joining as an executive producer. Filming began on Jan. 17, 2023, in Atlanta.

Variety’s Clayton Thomas reports that there is precedent for songs with similar trajectories being nominated by the music branch, such as “In the Deep” from Crash (2005) and the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly” from Once (2007).

In 2023, Warren became the first songwriter to receive an Honorary Oscar. The award was inscribed: “To Diane Warren, for her genius, generosity and passionate commitment to the power of song in film.”

In addition, she has won a Primetime Emmy, a Grammy and two Golden Globes – all for film songs. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received that organization’s top honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in June.

Bess Kargman’s Diane Warren: Relentless documentary about Warren’s life premiered at SXSW in March.

Sammy Cahn’s Consecutive Oscar Nods

Here’s Cahn’s eight-year streak of best original song nominees. He wrote the lyrics to all of these songs. The composer is shown and the songs that won are flagged.

1954: “Three Coins in the Fountain” from Three Coins in the Fountain [Music by Jule Styne] [winner]

1955: (2 nods) “I’ll Never Stop Loving You” from Love Me or Leave Me [Music by Nicholas Brodszky] and “(Love Is) The Tender Trap” from The Tender Trap [Music by James Van Heusen]

1956: “Written on the Wind” from Written on the Wind [Music by Victor Young]

1957: “All the Way” from The Joker Is Wild [Music by James Van Heusen] [winner]

1958: “To Love and Be Loved” from Some Came Running [Music by James Van Heusen]

1959 (2 nods) “The Best of Everything” from The Best of Everything [Music by Alfred Newman] and “High Hopes” from A Hole in the Head [Music by James Van Heusen] [winner]

1960: “The Second Time Around” from High Time [Music by James Van Heusen]

1961: “Pocketful of Miracles” from Pocketful of Miracles [Music by James Van Heusen]

Diane Warren’s Consecutive Oscar Nods

And here’s Warren’s seven-year streak of best original song nominees. She wrote both music and lyrics by herself, except as shown.

2017: “Stand Up for Something” from Marshall [Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Lonnie R. Lynn and Diane Warren]

2018: “I’ll Fight” from RBG

2019: “I’m Standing With You” from Breakthrough

2020: “Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se) [Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini]

2021: “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days

2022:  “Applause” from Tell It like a Woman

2023:  “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot

From pen to paper to film, five standout original songs are now on their way to the Oscars. The competition for best original song is as fierce as it is diverse in 2024, with ballads from the glitzy pink world of feminist dolls going head to head with music from films about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, […]

When the Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 23, 2024, we could see two humorous songs in the running for best original song – “I’m Just Ken,” which provides one of Ryan Gosling’s funniest scenes in Barbie, and “Peaches,” which Jack Black sings in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Amusing songs are nominated occasionally in this category. Relatively recent examples include “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020), “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings” from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie (2014) and“Blame Canada”from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999).

Here are 10 early front-runners for nominations for best original song at the 96th annual Academy Awards. The awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.

Two veteran songwriters, Alan Menken and Diane Warren, are each hoping to collect their 15th nominations for best original song, a benchmark that has been reached by only five songwriters in Oscar history. Menken’s strongest contender is “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid; Warren has two songs vying for a nod – “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot and “Gonna Be You” from 80 for Brady. If one is nominated, she will tie the late lyricist Marilyn Bergman as the woman with the most best original song nominations.

And two songwriters, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt, are vying to become EGOT winners. Miranda is competing with the aforementioned “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid; Platt with songs from Theater Camp.

We’re showing two songs from Barbie – “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” Current Oscar rules state: “No more than two songs from any one film, regardless of writers, may be nominated for the original song award.” Four films in Oscar history have spawned three nominated songs – Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Dreamgirls and Enchanted. None of the songs from the latter two films won the award, which demonstrated the very real risk of a film splitting its votes. In response, a new rule was instated in June 2008 that a film could have no more than two songs nominated.

As a result, the Dua Lipa hit “Dance the Night” and the Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice collaboration “Barbie” (with Aqua) may be squeezed out. “Dance the Night” is a trifle, but it has proven to be a most engaging one — and Lipa is at the level of fame that many previous pop stars were at when Oscar took notice. “Barbie,” which is built around a sample from Aqua’s 1997 hit “Barbie Girl,” may be ruled ineligible. Last year, the Academy did not consider Doja Cat’s “Vegas” from Elvis, which was built around a sample from “Hound Dog.”

A little more than four months remains in the eligibility year. Songs from a few upcoming films – Trolls Band Together, Wonka and The Color Purple – could also be contenders. Trolls Band Together, due Nov. 17, is the third installment in the Trolls franchise. Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from the first Trolls was nominated in this category seven years ago.

Wonka is due Dec. 15. Neil Hannon, lead singer of The Divine Comedy, contributed original songs for the film. The first Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) did not spawn a best song nominee, though “The Candy Man” became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Sammy Davis Jr. and “Pure Imagination” was covered by several artists, including Lou Rawls.

A remake of The Color Purple is due on Christmas Day. Siedah Garrett, a two-time Oscar nominee for best original song (for “Love You I Do from Dreamgirls and “Real in Rio” from Rio), teamed with Stephen Bray and Brenda Russell to write the songs for the film. If one of them is nominated, Garrett will become the third Black songwriter, following Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, to land three best original song nominations. Jones and Richie collaborated with the late Rod Temperton on “Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister)” from the original 1985 film, which was nominated in this category.

Here are 10 early front-runners for best original song nominations.

“I’m Just Ken” from Barbie

Following a chilling performance from Rihanna of “Lift Me Up” — the last best original song contender to be performed at the 2023 Oscars — it was finally time to announce the award. Together, Janelle Monáe and Kate Hudson announced the winner to be RRR‘s “Naatu Naatu.”

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Composer M.M. Keeravani and artist-lyricist Chandrabose accepted the win — it was the first nomination for both. The global hit “Naatu Naatu” soundtracks the most vibrant and upbeat scene in the otherwise battle-filled film.

“I grew up listening to the Carpenters and now here I am with the Oscars,” Keeravani said with a wide grin. He then continued to sing-speak the rest of his acceptance speech before concluding: “I love you all!” As for Chandrabose, he had a one-word message: “Namaste.”

“Naatu Naatu” (an Indian Telugu-language song) is the first song performed in a language other than English to win in this category since “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire 14 years ago.

“Naatu Naatu” competed against “Applause” (Tell It Like a Woman, music and lyric by Dianne Warren), “Hold My Hand” (Top Gun: Maverick, music and lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop), “Lift Me Up” (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson and lyric by Tems and Coogler) and “This Is a Life” (Everything Everywhere All at Once, music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne).

Keeravani previously told Billboard he was hoping to meet Rihanna at the Oscars. As for what’s next? He said: “I am looking forward to the world embracing more and more Indian songs, movies, stories and cultures. Not only from me, but from my fellow musicians, directors and movie-makers in India.”