Oscar Best Song: Recent Winner and Nominees
The most recent Oscar for Best Original Song went to "What Was I Made For?" from the film Barbie, performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, at the 96th Academy Awards in 2024. The song beat other nominees including "I'm Just Ken" from the same film and "Wahzhazhe" from Killers of the Flower Moon. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces the final five nominees each year after a multi-round voting process involving thousands of academy members. You can see the full list of nominees and results on the official Academy Awards website at https://www.oscars.org/.
To qualify for the Oscar best song category, a song must be written specifically for a motion picture and must be original in melody and lyrics. The song must also be clearly heard and intelligible in the film's final version, and it must be available on the film's official soundtrack. The Academy's rules are published in the official Awards Rules and Procedures document, which outlines eligibility windows, submission deadlines, and voting procedures for all categories including Best Original Song.
Oscar Best Song Voting Process and Rules
The voting for the Oscar best song category is conducted in two main rounds by eligible members of the Academy's Music Branch. In the first round, branch members submit ranked ballots to narrow the field to a shortlist of finalists. In the final round, all eligible academy members vote to select the winner from the shortlisted songs, with the song receiving the most votes declared the Oscar best song winner.
The Academy uses a proprietary online voting system managed by a third-party tabulation firm to ensure security and accuracy. The final results are verified by an independent auditing firm and announced live during the Oscar ceremony. Detailed information about the voting system, deadlines, and eligibility is available on the Academy's official page at https://www.oscars.org/ceremonies.
Oscar Best Song: Historical Winners and Trends
Since the category was introduced at the 4th Academy Awards in 1931, the Oscar best song award has been given to songs from a wide range of genres including pop, musical theater, country, and hip-hop. Recent winners include "Skyfall" by Adele for the James Bond film Skyfall and "No Time to Die" by Billie Eilish for the 2021 Bond film of the same name. The trend in recent years shows a strong preference for songs that are both emotionally resonant and commercially successful on global music charts.
Winning the Oscar best song often leads to a significant increase in streaming numbers, chart performance, and international recognition for the artists involved. For example, after Lady Gaga won for "Shallow" from A Star Is Born, the track reached number one on multiple national charts and received billions of streams on major platforms. Industry analysis from Billboard and other music trade publications tracks these post-Oscar performance spikes, showing how the award impacts both artist careers and the broader music business. You can read more about the commercial impact of Oscar-winning songs on https://www.billboard.com/.