Academy Awards for Songs List (just a few of them…).

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Achieving a place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 has been the goal of the composers since the beginning of the list in 1958. And long before that, winning an Oscar for the best original song has been the desire of most composers. The category dates back to 1934.

A total of 27 songs have reached these two milestones. That figure could go up to 28 on Sunday, March 9, when the 95th annual delivery of the Academy Awards is held if “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna wins the prize. The song made its debut in Hot 100 and reached No. 2 in November 2022. The figure could also jump to 28 if one of the other nominees wins and has enough impact on the program to arrive, even if it is late, to the Top 10.

Five artists have arrived at the Top 10 with two Oscar -winning songs: Barbra Streisand, Irene Cara, Jennifer Warnes, Celine Dion and Péabo Bryson. Both Streisand and Cara co-written one of those songs.

But first, we give a brief recognition to a classic Oscar winner who was close but failed to enter the Top 10, twice. Two versions of ‘Moon River’, the winner of 1961, reached No. 11: one of her composer, Henry Mancini, and the other of the R&B Jerry Butler singer.

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“Born Free” 

Born Free (Remastered 2021) · Matt Monro.

John Barry music; Don Black lyrics

Notes: The recording of Roger Williams of the titular song of the film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers reached No. 7 in December 1966. Williams partnered with the Vocal Group Young America to interpret the theme in the Oscars on April 10, 1967. Dean Martin gave the Black award. (Barry did not show up the night he won two Oscar awards: this award and the best original music).

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” 

1969 (42° Oscar) 

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” de Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Butch Cassidy) 

Music by Burt Bacharach; lyrics byHal David.

“Theme from Shaft” 

1971 (44th Oscar)

‘Theme from Shaft’ by Shaft

Isaac Hayes music and lyrics

“The Way We Were” 

1973 (46th Oscar)

‘The Way We Were’ by The Way We Were (our happy years)

Marvin Hamlisch music; lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman.

“Fame” 

1980 (53rd Oscar)

FAME ‘FAME’ (fame)

Michael Gore music; Dean Pitchford lyrics

“Arthur’s Theme”  

1981 (54th Oscar)

“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) by Arthur

Music and Lyrics by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen.

The recording of Christopher Cross spent three weeks in No. 1 in October 1981. Cross sang the theme in the Oscars on March 29, 1982. Bette Midler presented the prize with his characteristic ingenuity. Allen would not be nominated under the strictest eligibility rules today. He was not part of the composition session, but Sager had traced himself to an unpublished song in which she and Allen had worked for the memorable verse ‘Caught Between The Moon and New York City.’ In his acceptance speech, Allen said: “I want to thank the air traffic controller who put me in a waiting pattern for two hours about JFK, and I found myself, like Arthur, trapped between the Moon and the New York City. Thank you’.

“Say You, Say Me”  

1985 (58º Oscar) 

“Say You, Say Me” de White Nights (Sol de Medianoche)  

Música y letra de Lionel Richie .

“Take My Breath Away”  

1986 (59th Oscar)

‘Take My Breath Away’ by Top Gun

Giorgio Moroder music; Tom Whitlock lyrics.

“Beauty and the Beast”  

1991 (64º Oscar)

‘Beauty and the Beast’ de Beauty and the Beast (La Bella y la Bestia)

Música de Alan Menken; letra de Howard Ashman.

The recording of Celine Dion and Péabo Bryson reached No. 9 in April 1992, after they played the song in the Oscar on March 30, 1992 together with Angela Lansbury, who sang the theme in the film. The pop recording of Dion and Bryson was heard in the final loans. The winners of Oscar Shirley Maclaine and Liza Minnelli presented the prize. Menken won a second prize for the best original score. Ashman had died of AIDS on March 14, 1991. His partner Bill Lauch accepted his award, saying: “Howard and I shared a home and a life together and I am very happy and proud to accept this for him. But it is bittersweet. This is the first prize of the Academy awarded to someone we have lost because of AIDS. When working at Beauty and The Beast, Howard faced incredible personal challenges, but always did his best. ”

“A Whole New World”  

1992 (65º Oscar) 

“A Whole New World” de Aladdin  

Música de Alan Menken; letra de Tim Rice.

“Streets of Philadelphia”  

Springsteen amazing recording reached No. 9 in April 1994. Springsteen sang the theme in Los Oscar on March 21, 1994. Whitney Houston presented the prize to his emblematic New Jersey, Springsteen, so eloquent in his acceptance speech as he was in his song for the Jonathan Demme movie about a gay lawyer after a gay lawyer after of contracting AIDS. ‘One does his best job and hopes that he will take the best of his audience and that part of that spills in the real world and everyday life, and reduce fear and allow us to recognize us through our veil of differences.’

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight”  

1994 (67th Oscar)

‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ by The Lion King (The Lion King)

Elton John music; Tim Rice lyrics

Elton John’s recording reached No. 4 in August 1994. John also sang the issue in the Oscar on March 27, 1995. The Rocky and Rambo star, Sylvester Stallone, delivered the award for Rice and John. John accepted it in memory of a loved one: “I would like to dedicate this award to my grandmother Ivy Sewell. He died last week, and it was the one who sat on the piano when I was three years old and made me touch. So I accept this in his honor. ”

“My Heart Will Go On”  

1997 (70th Oscar)

Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On”

James Horner music; Will Jennings Lyrics.

“Skyfall”  

2012 (85th Oscar)

Skyfall Skyfall (007: Skyfall Operation)

Music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth.

“Let It Go”  

2013 (86th Oscar)

‘Let it go’ of Frozen

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez music and lyrics.

Justin Hurwitz –  City of Stars (La La Land, 2016)

Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You (The Lady In Red, 1984)

Franke Previte, John DeNicola, Donald Markowitz & Franke Previte – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (Dirty Dancing, 1987).

Carly Simon – Let the River Run (Working Girl, 1988)

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman – Under the Sea (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, 1989)

List of Academy Awards for Songs

Date Song Film Composers
1934 The Continental The Gay Divorcee Herb Magidson & Con Conrad
1935 Lullaby of Broadway Gold Diggers of 1935 Al Dubin & Harry Warren
1936 The Way You Look Tonight Swing Time Dorothy Fields & Jerome Kern
1937 Sweet Lellani Waikiki Wedding Harry Owens
1938 Thanks for the Memory The Big Broadcast of 1938 Leo Robin & Ralph Ranger
1939 Over the Rainbow The Wizard of Oz E.Y. Harburg & Harold Arlen
1940 When You Wish Upon A Star Pinocchio Ned Washington & Leigh Harline
1941 The Last Time I Saw Paris Lady Be Good Oscar Hammerstein II & Jerome Kern
1942 White Christmas Holiday Inn Irving Berlin
1943 You’ll Never Know Hello, Frisco, Hello Mack Gordon & Harry Warren
1944 Swingin’ On A Star Going My Way Johnny Burke & Jimmy van Heusen
1945 It Might As Well Be Spring State Fair Oscar Hammerstein II & Richard Rodgers
1946 On the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe The Harvey Girls Johnny Mercer & Harry Warren
1947 Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Song of the South Ray Gilbert & Allie Wrubel
1948 Buttons and Bows Paleface Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
1949 Baby It’s Cold Outside Neptune’s Daughter Frank Loesser
1950 Mona Lisa Captain Carey, U.S.A. Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
1951 In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening Here Comes the Groom Johnny Mercer & Hoagy Carmichael
1952 High Noon High Noon Ned Washington & Dimitri Tiomkin
1953 Secret Love Calamity Jane Paul Francis Webster & Sammy Fain
1954 Three Coins In a Fountain Three Coins in a Fountain Sammy Cahn & Jule Styne
1955 Love is a Many Splendored Thing Love is a Many Splendored Thing Paul Francis Webster & Sammy Fain
1956 Que Sera, Sera The Man Who Knew Too Much Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
1957 All The Way The Joker is Wild Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen
1958 Gigi Gigi Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe
1959 High Hopes A Hole in the Head Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen
1960 Never on Sunday Never on Sunday Manos Hadjidakis
1961 Moon River Breakfast at Tiffany’s Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini
1962 Days of Wine and Roses Days of Wine and Roses Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini
1963 Call Me Irresponsible Papa’s Delicate Condition Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen
1964 Chim Chim Cheree Mary Poppins Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman
1965 The Shadow of Your Smile The Sandpiper Paul Francis Webster & Johnny Mandel
1966 Born Free Born Free Don Black & John Barry
1967 Talk to the Animals Doctor Doolittle Leslie Bricusse
1968 The Windmills of Your Mind The Thomas Crown Affair Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman & Michel LeGrand
1969 Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Hal David & Burt Bacharach
1970 For All We Know Lovers and Other Strangers Fred Karlin (music); Jimmy Griffin & Robb Royer (music)
1971 The Theme From Shaft Shaft Isaac Hayes
1972 The Morning After The Poseidon Adventure Al Kasha & Joel Hirschorn
1973 The Way We Were The Way We Were Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman & Marvin Hamlish
1974 We May Never Love Like This Again The Towering Inferno Al Kasha & Joel Hirschorn
1975 I’m Easy Nashville Keith Carradine
1976 Evergreen A Star Is Born Paul Williams & Barbra Streisand
1977 You Light Up My Life You Light Up My Life Joseph Brooks
1978 Last Dance Thank God It’s Friday Paul Jabara
1979 It Goes Like It Goes Norma Rae Normal Gimbel
1980 Fame Fame Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford
1981 Best That You Can Do Arthur Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross & Carole Bayer Sager (music and lyrics)
1982 Up Where We Belong An Officer and A Gentleman Jack Nitzsche, Will Jennings & Buffy Sainte Marie
1983 What A Feeling Flashdance Keith Forsey, Irene Cara & Giorgio Moroder
1984 I Just Called to Say I Love You The Lady In Red Stevie Wonder
1985 Say You, Say Me White Nights Lionel Richie
1986 Take My Breath Away Top Gun Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock
1987 (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life Dirty Dancing Franke Previte, John DeNicola, Donald Markowitz & Franke Previte
1988 Let the River Run Working Girl Carly Simon
1989 Under the Sea The Little Mermaid Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
1990 Sooner Or Later Dick Tracy Stephen Sondheim
1991 Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast Alan Menken & Howard Ashman
1992 A Whole New World Aladdin Alan Menken & Tim Rice
1993 Streets of Philadelphia Philadelphia Bruce Springsteen
1994 Can You Feel the Love Tonight The Lion King Elton John & Tim Rice
1995 Colors of the Wind Pocahontas Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz
1996 You Must Love Me Evita Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
1997 My Heart Will Go On Titanic James Horner & Will Jennings
1998 When You Believe The Prince of Egypt Stephen Schwartz
1999 You’ll Be in My heart Tarzan Phil Collins
2000 Things Have Changed Wonder Boys Bob Dylan
2001 If I Didn’t Have You Monsters, Inc. Randy Newman
2002 Lose Yourself 8 Mile Eminem, Jeff Bass & Luis Resto
2003 Into the West The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Fran Walsh, Howard Shore & Annie Lennox
2004 Al Otro Lado Del Rio The Motorcycle Diaries Jorge Drexler
2005 It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp Hustle & Flow Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman & Paul Beauregard
2006 I Need to Wake Up An Inconvenient Truth Melissa Etheridge
2007 Falling Slowly Once Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová
2008 Jai Ho Slumdog Millionaire m: A.R.Rahman, l: Gulzar
2009 The Weary Kind Crazy Heart Ryan Bingham & T-Bone Burnett
2010 We Belong Together Toy Story 3 Randy Newman
2011 Man or Muppet The Muppets Bret McKenzie
2012 Skyfall Skyfall Adel Adkins & Paul Epworth
2013 Let It Go Frozen Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
2014 Glory Selma John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
2015 Writing’s On The Wall Spectre Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
2016 City of Stars La La Land Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
2017 Remember Me Coco Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
2018 Shallow A Star is Born Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt
2019 (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again Rocketman Elton John, Bernie Taupin
2020 Fight For You Judas and the Black Messiah H.E.R., D’Mile, Tiara Thomas
2021 No Time To Die No Time To Die Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell
2022 Naatu Naatu RRR M.M. Keeravani, Chandrabose
2023 What Was I Made For? Barbie Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell

MOST NOMINATIONS NAME ([#] indicates number of awards)
26 Sammy Cahn [4]
18 Johnny Mercer [4]
16 Paul Francis Webster [3]
15 Alan Bergman [2]
15 Marilyn Bergman [2]
14 James Van Heusen [4]
13 Alan Menken [4]
11 Henry Mancini [2]
11 Harry Warren [3]
11 Ned Washington [2]
10 Sammy Fain [2]
10 Leo Robin [1]
10 Jule Styne [1]
MOST AWARDS NAME ([#] indicates number of nominations)
4 Sammy Cahn [26]
4 Alan Menken [13]
4 Johnny Mercer [18]
4 James Van Heusen [14]
3 Ray Evans [7]
3 Jay Livingston [7]
3 Tim Rice [5]
3 Harry Warren [11]
3 Paul Francis Webster [16]

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