The Best Original Song Oscar is always a tight race. This year the category is packed with superstars Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Diane Warren, Van Morrison, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Encanto has become a pop culture sensation with the song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno'' taking over “Let It Go” as the highest-selling Disney song in history. However, it is not nominated. Will “Dos Oruguitas” be enough to give Encanto a win, or will it be another in a long line of popular songs not winning the category? Just because a song is hugely popular doesn’t mean it takes home an Oscar. Here is a list of 15 songs that exemplify this sentiment.
1967 - The Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book)
Written by Terry Gilkyson and performed by Phil Harris (Baloo) and Bruce Reitherman (Mowgli), this song is still one of the most famous Disney songs in history. But in this instance, animals who talk lost out to a guy who could talk to animals.
Winner: “Talk to the Animals” from the film Doctor Dolittle written by Leslie Bricusse. It was performed by Rex Harrison.
1968 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The titular song from the hit movie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang performed by Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes, and written by the Sherman Brothers came up short for Oscar Gold. However, most people remember this tune way more than the winner.
Winner: “The Windmills of Your Mind” from the film The Thomas Crown Affair written by Michael Legrand, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, based on the French song “Les Moulins de mon coeur” written by Eddy Marnay. It was performed by Noel Harrison.
1973 - Live and Let Die
Bond themes are recurring winners at the Academy Awards, but unfortunately, this one by Paul and Linda McCartney didn’t measure up. Even though “Live and Let Die” is a stellar theme, it just didn’t have the wings to fly home with the Oscar.
Winner: “The Way We Were” from the film of the same name written by Marvin Hamlisch, Alan & Marilyn Bergman. It was performed by Barbra Streisand.
1977 - Nobody Does It Better (The Spy Who Loved Me)
One of the best Bond themes in history wasn’t able to take home the top prize this year. Written by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager, Carly Simon sings that “Nobody Does it Better,” but in this case, someone does.
Winner: "You Light Up My Life” from the film of the same name written by Joseph Brooks. It was performed by Debby Boone.
1978 - Hopelessly Devoted To You (Grease)
Specifically written for the film by John Farrar, Olivia Newton-John waxes poetic about her undying love for her boyfriend, Danny (John Travolta). Sure, everyone knows all the words to this power ballad, but it was another '70s superstar who took home the gold.
Winner: “Last Dance” from the film Thank God It’s Friday written by Paul Jabara. It was performed by Donna Summer.
1979 - Rainbow Connection (The Muppet Movie)
This song may not have won the Oscar, but it won the hearts of viewers of all ages. Written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher, and performed by one Kermit the Frog, this song doesn’t need a trophy to cement it in the zeitgeist forever.
Winner: “It Goes Like it Goes” from the film Norma Rae written by David Shire and Norman Gimbel. It was performed by Jennifer Warnes.
1980 - 9 to 5
Dolly Parton’s mega-hit became an anthem for working women everywhere. The hit movie of the same name starring Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin was ahead of its time for women in the workplace and taking charge of their lives. But in the Academy’s eyes, it just didn’t measure up to a bunch of high school kids who wanted to be stars.
Winner: “Fame” from the film of the same name written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford. It was performed by Irene Cara.
1982 - Eye of the Tiger (Rocky III)
It’s hard not to get pumped up when this song comes on, just like Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) does in the third film in this franchise. Jim Peterik and Frank Sullivan from the band Survivor wrote and performed this workout anthem. However, it didn’t take home the top prize at the Academy Awards.
Winner: “Up Where We Belong” from An Officer and A Gentleman written by Jack Nitzche, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings. It was performed by Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker.
1984 - Footloose
It’s a classic '80s movie about a town that’s afraid to dance and sing. And when they realize their grief is misplaced, they let the kids, led by Kevin Bacon, dance the night away to this hit by Kenny Loggins. The Footloose soundtrack was a huge hit regardless of their Oscar loss.
Winner: “I Just Called to Say I Love You” written and performed by Stevie Wonder from the film The Woman in Red.
1985 - The Power of Love (Back to the Future)
It’s hard to think of Back to the Future and not think of Huey Lewis & the News. Huey Lewis even has a cameo as a judge that turns Marty (Michael J. Fox) and his band The Pinheads down for their spot in Battle of the Bands. Even without an Oscar, this remains one of the biggest songs of the '80s.
Winner: “Say You, Say Me” written and performed by Lionel Richie from the film White Nights.
1992 - I Have Nothing (The Bodyguard)
The Bodyguard Soundtrack won a ton of awards, but the Oscar just wasn’t one of them. Its best-selling single “I Will Always Love You” was not eligible for the Oscar. The second most popular, “I Have Nothing” just couldn’t compete with classic Disney.
Winner: “A Whole New World” written by Alan Menken and Tim Rice from the film Aladdin. It was performed by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in the film and Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle on the soundtrack. It also went on to win a Grammy for Song of the Year.
1996 - That Thing You Do!
A movie entirely built around a song and that song is a real earworm and foot tapper written by Adam Schlesinger. The film tells the story of the band, The Wonders, who desperately try to figure out how to capitalize on a huge hit song before the shine on their star wears out. Unfortunately, the Wonders had only one hit and didn’t even win an Oscar for it.
Winner: “You Must Love Me” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice from the film Evita. It was performed by Madonna.
2013 - Happy (Despicable Me 2)
This Pharrell single shot to the top of the charts around the Globe. At the Oscar ceremony, he even got Meryl Streep to get up and dance with him. Its only problem was it had the misfortune of competing against the one song that year that was even bigger.
Winner - “Let It Go” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez from the film Frozen. It was performed by Adele Nazeem Idina Menzel.
2016 - How Far I’ll Go (Moana)
Lin-Manuel Miranda is just an Oscar short of an EGOT and many thought this was his year. With a female empowerment anthem in the Disney hit, Moana, “How Far I’ll Go” is a big moment in the film, but it wasn’t enough to give Miranda the Oscar. Here’s hoping Encanto will be the one to do so.
Winner: “City of Stars” by Justin Hurwitz and Pasek & Paul from the film La La Land. It is performed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.
2017 - This is Me (The Greatest Showman)
A show-stopping moment in the film The Greatest Showman, Keala Settle leads her band of sideshow performers in an anthem for the ages that promotes being happy with who you are. This is the Pasek & Paul song that should have given them Oscar gold.
Winner: “Remember Me” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez from the film Coco. In the film, the song is performed by Benjamin Bratt, Gael García Bernal, Anthony Gonzalez, and Ana Ofelia Murguía. A pop version of the song is performed by Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade on the soundtrack.