HUNTR/X & Nick Cave Win Best Song Award

Oscar Nominations 2026: Music Highlights

The Academy Award nominations for 2026 are ⁣out, and‍ while the acting categories often generate the most buzz, the music nominations offer their own set of talking points, especially ⁢regarding repeat ⁤nominees and emerging trends.

Diane​ Warren’s 17th Nomination

Diane Warren received her 17th Academy Award ​nomination ⁢for Best Original ‍Song on ‍January 22, 2026, for “Dear Me,” performed by Kesha and featured in the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless.

Warren is the most nominated woman in Oscar⁢ history without ⁤a win, having been nominated for Best Original Song every​ year since 1987. Despite a ⁤prolific career writing hits for numerous artists, her recent nominations have largely been for ballads featured ‍in lesser-known films.‍ ‍Her previous nominations include songs for artists like Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, but ⁤her recent ⁣work has focused on ⁤end-credit ‌songs.

As ⁤of January 22, 2026, Warren has⁣ not won an Academy Award despite ⁢17 nominations.

“Golden” Favored to Win

“Golden,” performed by HUNT/X and featured in the soundtrack for Kpop Demon Hunters, is⁣ widely considered the frontrunner for Best Original Song at ‌the 2026‌ Oscars.

The song ⁣already⁣ secured a win at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on January​ 7,2026,in the category of Best Original Song – Motion Picture. Kpop Demon ‌Hunters, released on November 15, 2025, has become a cultural phenomenon, boosting the song’s popularity and Oscar prospects. The film grossed $450 million worldwide as of January 22,2026,according to Box Office Mojo.

Stereogum reported on the Golden Globe win on January 8, 2026.