Since 1934, the Best Original Song category has been a mainstay at the Academy Awards. Many Best Original Song winners have become iconic not only for their usage in films but also for taking on a life of their own. Some of these legendary songs include "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, "White Christmas" from Holiday Inn, "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, and "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile. Music is incredibly subjective and varied, and countless nominated songs have also become renowned in their own right.

In the past decade, a wide variety of Oscar-winning songs have wowed the Academy, including Bond film ballads, a couple of Disney tunes, two anthems about the Civil Rights movement, a couple of creations from iconic pop stars, and a jazz number about LA. These best Original Song Oscar winners enhanced the movies they were written for, but they also stand on their own, some even becoming pop-culture sensations.

Updated on March 15, 2023, by Hannah Saab:

Following the recent presentations during the 95th Academy Awards, the list of the Best Original Song winners has just grown. The international phenomenon, "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, has rightly taken home the Oscar for 2023. How does it rank against the best songs of the decade?

10 2016: "Writing's on the Wall"

'Spectre' (2015)

Spectre-Daniel-Craig
Image Via Sony Pictures Releasing

One of five nominees in 2015, including "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey, Spectre's original song, "Writing’s on the Wall," won the Oscar. This win was not a surprise as part of a long lineage of well-known songs written for James Bond films. Despite reaching #1 on the UK Singles Chart, it received mixed reviews compared to previous Bond theme songs and did not perform very well on American charts.

Chosen in favor of Radiohead's proposed song, "Writing's on the Wall" was co-written and amazingly sung by Sam Smith, but only the instrumental version appears on the film’s soundtrack. The song is not very melodic; it is very slow yet repetitious, and it ends abruptly. However, it has a typical Bond feel, with an immediate sweeping score, an interesting minor chord progression, and lyrics about love and longing.

9 2020: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again"

'Rocketman' (2019)

Taron Edgerton as Elton John in Rocketman
Image via Paramount Pictures

Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and featuring Taron Edgerton alongside John, "(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again" won for Rocketman in 2019. The song beat out four other nominees, two of which were Disney songs. "(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again" is a quintessential Elton John song; it’s fun, happy, energetic with a good beat, feels retro, and of course, has a piano solo.

As it was written for Rocketman, the song is about Elton John’s career and how he has found redemption and freedom. It has a total sing-along vibe, with a repetitious chorus and easy melody. The song plays during the film’s ending credits, operating more as a song for radio rather than a traditional song written for film.

8 2021: "Fight For You"

'Judas and the Black Messiah' (2021)

Fred Hampton giving a speech in Judas and the Black Messiah

Co-written and performed by H.E.R., "Fight For You" from Judas and the Black Messiah won in 2021. The song was also nominated for a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, and a Grammy. "Fight For You" only plays during the film’s ending credits and appears on its soundtrack. However, the song's weight is still felt by its subject matter of racism, police brutality, and the need for justice.

The themes behind Judas and the Black Messiah, which tells the story of Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party, are still highly relevant in today’s society. As such, director Shaka King revealed in an interview with Variety that he wanted the film’s theme song to be "something contemporary with echoes of 1968." As a result, the song has a definite retro vibe that takes listeners back in time. H.E.R. performs an effortless vocal over funky drum beats and a soulful feel and scatting over an instrumental bridge that culminates in a beautiful harmonious ending. "Fight For You" is not a typical song for film but is a nice blend of sounds that bridges the past with the present.

7 2022: "No Time to Die"

'No Time to Die' (2021)

Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time to Die.

The eponymous theme song for the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, beat "Hear My Voice" from The Trial of the Chicago 7 and three other nominees back in 2022. The third Bond song to ever win an Oscar, critics praised the orchestral ballad performed by Billie Eilish and written by her and her brother, Finneas O’Connell.

With a clear R&B influence, the romantic, dramatic, and suspenseful song perfectly fits Bond's storyline in the film, which has a betrayal and dark secrets at its core. It's a mesmerizing tune that hints at something darker, and is the perfect accompaniment for Daniel Craig's incredible performance in the Bond film.

6 2017: "City of Stars"

'La La Land' (2016)

Ryan Gosling as Sebastian walking down a pier at dusk in La La Land.

In 2016, La La Land had two songs nominated for Best Original Song, with "City of Stars" declared the winner. The song was written by famous songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and composed by Justin Hurwitz, who also received an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the film. "City of Stars" also won a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, and was nominated for a Grammy.

The song is featured twice in La La Land, the first time sung solely by Ryan Gosling alone on the Hermosa Beach pier at sunset, and then sung as a duet with Emma Stone sitting together at the piano in their apartment. The song begins with an iconic piano riff that plays throughout the song, giving an air of melancholy amplified by the film’s visuals. Gosling and Stone’s singing isn’t great, but it adds to the sincerity of the lyrics, which are about finding love and passion in a city known for either making or breaking dreams. "City of Stars" is a simple song but is memorable for its atmospheric sound.

5 2018: "Remember Me"

'Coco' (2017)

Miguel plays the guitar and sings "Remember Me" to his great grandmother in 'Coco'.
Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Beating out another Pasek & Paul creation from The Greatest Showman and three other nominees, "Remember Me" from Coco won in 2017. Written by Frozen songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, "Remember Me" also won a Critics’ Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Grammy. This Oscar win also gave Lopez the honor of being the first double EGOT winner, winning each award more than once.

"Remember Me" is rooted in the sound of traditional Mexican music yet is heard in multiple forms throughout the film. The song is performed in a mariachi style by Ernesto De la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), as a simple acoustic lullaby by Héctor (Gael García Bernal) to a young Coco, as a duet between Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) and an older Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía), and as a bilingual pop song by Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade. Each version of the song is pleasant, fun, and incredibly touching. The sweet sentiment of music connecting people and cultures, bridging generations, and bringing people back to life is immensely compelling.

4 2015: "Glory"

'Selma' (2014)

'Selma's director relied on archival material to create a movie that is historically accurate
Image via Pathé Films

In 2014, Selma's theme song "Glory" easily won the top spot. It also won a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, and a Grammy while charting in the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. Co-written by the track’s performers John Legend and Common, alongside Rhymefest, "Glory" incorporates beautiful orchestration with incredibly powerful lyrics. The song starts with a simple piano accompaniment under Legend’s emotional vocal and slowly builds as a backing choir comes in, the beat accelerates, and Common’s rap begins.

"Glory" finds a beautiful balance between sweeping instrumentation, John Legend’s memorable chorus and bridge, and Common’s rap verses that are essentially history lessons about the Civil Rights movement. The song plays during the end credits, immediately after Martin Luther King Jr.’s final speech in the film, in which he talks about the glory of the coming of the Lord. The lyrics and music make the song feel important and worthy of carrying such weight; not only are viewers brought back in time to 1965, but they are also made aware that the fight for justice is still not over.

3 2023: "Naatu Naatu"

'RRR' (2022)

rrr-social-featured-naatu-naatu

Beating out heavy hitters like Lady Gaga and Rihanna, the international hit song from RRR, "Naatu Naatu" took home the Oscar during the 95th Academy Awards. The song by M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj, and Kaala Bhairava made history by being the first-ever song from an Indian film to win an Oscar, and also the first that was written and performed in Telugu.

"Naatu Naatu" had an important Oscar win, and it's well-deserved, as anyone who has heard it knows that it's impossible not to dance along to the song's fast tempo, catchy beat, and incorporation of Indian folk music and salsa elements. It's a tune that celebrates friendship, family, community, and connection, which is why it's not surprising that it spread quickly. The song even became a viral hit on TikTok, as fans from around the world tried to show off their mastery (or lack thereof) of the challenging choreography featured in the movie.

2 2014: "Let It Go"

'Frozen' (2013)

Elsa singing in Frozen (2013)
Image via Disney

There were only four nominees in 2013, but it is no surprise that "Let It Go" would come out on top. Written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and sung by Broadway legend Idina Menzel, "Let It Go" became a cultural phenomenon that has continued to dominate a decade later. The song also won a Grammy, charted in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, and has been translated into 44 different languages.

"Let It Go" has become iconic not only for its catchy sing-along quality, but also for its iconic scene in the Disney film. Elsa letting her hair down, changing her gown, and creating an ice castle are synonymous with the song, bringing a feeling of power and freedom. Menzel gives an incredible vocal performance over a multi-layered orchestral piece of music with a great build and an insane final note that everyone strives to hit. This song about breaking free from your hiding place and embracing who you are continues to resonate with audiences across the globe.

1 2019: "Shallow"

'A Star is Born' (2018)

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga as Jackson and Ally performing Shallow on stage in Star is Born
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

After A Star is Born's release in 2018, its hit song "Shallow" took the world by storm and was the clear winner of Best Original Song. Written by Lady Gaga and a few other songwriters and sung by Gaga and Bradley Cooper, the song won a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Grammys. The song became an international hit, landing at #1 on multiple charts, staying on the Hot 100 chart for 45 weeks, and becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time.

"Shallow" appears multiple times in the film, most notably in Gaga and Cooper’s performance at The Greek Theater. The moment is pivotal, as reflected in the lyrics; the two characters are trying to figure out who they are while wanting to dive deeper into their relationship as they come to find solace in each other. The song is a country-pop-power ballad, starting with a well-known acoustic guitar riff, Cooper’s earnest vocals, and a pretty melody. Gaga comes in on the second verse before the song takes off as she breaks into the chorus in her full, thundering voice. She leads the rest of the song through an instrumental bridge that intensely builds into the final chorus sung as a duet between the two characters. "Shallow" fits the cinematic moment in the film and sounds like an actual song. It brings audiences into the story of these characters while also becoming a track that has adopted a life of its own as an iconic piece of music.

NEXT: The Best Songs That Didn’t Win the Oscar