Top 25 Best Original Song Oscar Winners

There have been some incredible songs written for cinema, too many to even think about! So to write a list on the best songs ever to feature in a film would be quite a hard task. Therefore, in order to narrow it down a bit, I’m going to be picking the songs as chosen by the industry to be the best. This is a ranking of the top songs to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Honourable mentions: Take My Breath Away – Top Gun, Let It Go – Frozen, Writing’s on the Wall – Spectre

25. ‘Man or Muppet’ – The Muppets

Maybe this loses a bit more credit when you realise it only had one other song to compete with at the 2012 Oscars (and that was from ‘Rio’, a movie which not even the people who made it can remember). However, ‘Man or Muppet’ fits in well with the rest of ‘The Muppet Movie’ as it is hilarious! Having Jason Segel and Walter sing with the muppet and human versions of themselves respectively (genius casting of Jim Parsons by the way) is, as writer Brett McKenzie put it, “sincere but ridiculous”.

24. ‘You’ll Never Know’ – Hello, Frisco, Hello

I have to admit that I’ve never seen the film that featured this 1943 Oscar-winning number, but listening to Alice Faye’s incredible voice very quickly makes you realise why it’s considered her signature song. Many people may have covered this since, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and The Mamas and the Papas, but you can’t imagine anyone really expressing the emotion that she gets out of those romantic lyrics. She was a great Hollywood talent and this was her moment to shine.

23. ‘If I Didn’t Have You’ – Monsters, Inc.

We all know that the combination of Randy Newman and Pixar is a match made in heaven. Although he should have won for his classic ‘Toy Story’ hit ‘You’ve Got a Friend In Me’, this jazz number from ‘Monsters, Inc.’ will do nicely. The voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal are just as delightful together as their onscreen friendship that this song is about.

22. ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’ – Mary Poppins

Making a joke about Dick Van Dyke’s accent in ‘Mary Poppins’ is far too cheap and easy and I expect better from anyone who does. Surely though, no-one can fault his incredible on-screen presence and entertainment factor, particularly when it comes to the film’s musical numbers. Although I think there are better ones like ‘Step in Time’ or ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ that deserved a nomination, ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’ beautifully sums up the charm, the humour and the heart of the Disney classic.

21. ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ – Pinocchio

There may be better songs in the companies discography than this, but when many people think of Disney, the first thing they’ll go to is ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’. It’s full of Disney wonder and has the uncanny ability to transport everyone back to their childhoods and make them believe in magic all over again. Although there are more Disney songs higher up this list, they all owe their existence to this.

20. ‘Jai Ho’ – Slumdog Millionaire

Try to not join in when it gets to the chorus, I dare you! The Oscars may not have always had the best track record in terms of representing different cultures and identities in most of their categories, but with the Best Original Song award, you have to give them some credit. ‘Jai Ho’ is a perfect example of this, perfectly summing up the sound of Indian culture with a catchy beat and texture that fits in well with the film that it accompanies.

19. ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’ – Dirty Dancing

I’m certain I’d have been torn apart by online fandoms if I hadn’t have included this ‘80s classic. It’s easy to see why this duet has been covered and sampled so many times. There probably hasn’t been a wedding since 1987 to not have included the ‘Dirty Dancing’ hit. It’s a legendary staple of modern cinema and deservedly so.

18. ‘A Whole New World’ – Aladdin

Let’s face it, ‘Aladdin’ is full of great songs; the mysterious ‘Arabian Nights’, the extravagant ‘Friend Like Me’, the joyous ‘Prince Ali’, but this is the cream of the crop. ‘A Whole New World’ is the quintessential fairytale love song, full of awe and majesty to beautifully accompany Aladdin and Jasmine’s magic carpet ride.

NB: (and this goes for all the Disney movies on this list) if you think the version of this song from the remake is better than the original, you’re just wrong. End of.

17. ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Those opening ukulele chords are so iconic; you have to include them in a list like this. It has a feeling of warmth and comfort to it that you wouldn’t normally expect from a western and the lyrics are so uplifting and positive, it’s impossible to not have a skip in your step after listening to it. The song was also a commercial hit, topping the Billboard charts for 4 weeks in 1970.

16. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – Beauty and the Beast

The Disney renaissance of the ‘90s started with ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and whilst the more engaging plots and in-depth characters clearly were a big part of this, it was the music that really captured people’s imaginations and made my generation fall in love with the magic of Disney. The ballad of the same name that accompanies Belle and the Beast’s ballroom dance perfectly reflects this new found resurgence with elegant instrumentation and glorious lyrics that can move anyone to tears.

15. ‘You’ll Be in My Heart’ – Tarzan

I don’t care what anyone says, I love Phil Collins. His voice is perfectly suited to romantic songs and ‘You’ll Be in My Heart’ is no exception. The songs universality is its triumph, as not only can it be used in the context of a romantic relationship but also in terms of a parent with their child, as it is in ‘Tarzan’. Collins did a great job with the ‘Tarzan’ soundtrack and this is easily the pick of the bunch.

14. ‘City of Stars’ – La La Land

It’s only fitting that the best musical of the 21st century won the Oscar for Best Original Song, but it did so in style with ‘City of Stars’. The beautiful melody has a tone of hopefulness as well as melancholy, reflecting the two central characters dreams of Hollywood and success and whether their reality will ever turn out that way. The song is made all the more moving by the two fantastic performances of ‘La La Land’s stars, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. They may not be the best singers, but they know how to deliver emotion and heart, and my god, do they do that here.

13. ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ – Swing Time

When lyricist Dorothy Fields first heard the melody to ‘The Way You Look Tonight’, she said that she had to go out and cry because it was so beautiful and she couldn’t stop. Almost 85 years later and you can still see why. This gorgeous ballad manages to remove any hint of cheese or soppiness as Fred Astaire wonderfully sings to his lover about how he wishes he could cling on to this memory of her forever. It’s a love song for all the ages.

12. ‘Colors of the Wind’ – Pocahontas

Maybe it’s the environmentalist within me, but this song gets me even more with every listen. Hearing Pocahontas singing about “every rock, every tree and every creature” is not only spreading a message about being in tune with nature and our planet, but also with each other and with people who are different than you. It’s a fantastic song with a pure heart that does well to reflect the Native Americans and their beliefs. Also, can you think of a more exquisite metaphor than painting with the colours of the wind?

11. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ – The Lion King

As mentioned earlier, the music of Disney is something special. However, they went to a whole new level by acquiring the talents of Elton John to compose the soundtrack for ‘The Lion King’. There’s a reason why the musical of this film has gone on to be one of the most successful shows of all time. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ is a moving ballad that creates an unmatched romantic atmosphere, showing that John is still a legend when it comes to love songs. If my partner is reading this (which I doubt she will) I always think of her when I hear this song.

10. ‘Shallow’ – A Star is Born

Even alongside incredible compositions like ‘All the Stars’ from ‘Black Panther and ‘The Place Where Lost Things Go’ from ‘Mary Poppins Returns’, never has a Best Original Song Oscar been more sowed up from the off than this. ‘Shallow’ is a stunning duet between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and does well to reflect the film’s themes of the dangers of stardom and fame. The buildup of Gaga’s powerful vocals into the huge final chorus is comparable to any stadium anthem and is worthy of being a future cinema classic.

9. ‘White Christmas’ – Holiday Inn

I feel like the world would be a better place if every Christmas we could have Bing Crosby come back down to Earth and play us this song again. It’s no surprise that the best selling song of all time is also one of the most revered cinematic moments. Crosby’s voice is so unique and heart-warming and there’s no doubt this changed Christmas music forever. He would later say that “a jackdaw with a cleft palate could have sung it successfully”, but in my opinion, we may not have this Christmas classic today were it not for his deep, moving tones.

8. ‘Over the Rainbow’ – The Wizard of Oz

I bet you thought that this would be number 1 and, to be honest, as I’m writing this I’m doubting myself as well. The American Film Institute named it the greatest movie song of all time and it’s easy to see why. There has potentially never been another song which has been such an icon of Hollywood and the film industry. Judy Garland is just wonderful as Dorothy does what we all do, dream for something more from life. The song’s legacy can’t be denied and remains as ever-prescient to this day.

7. ‘My Heart Will Go On’ – Titanic

Has it been overplayed to death? Yes. Are you most likely sick of hearing it? Yes. Is it still one of the most powerful and moving vocal performances you have and will ever hear? 100% yes. I genuinely don’t think ‘Titanic’ would be one of the highest-grossing, award-winning films of all time without this song. Celine Dion gives it her all in a career-defining performance of a song that will forever be deeply rooted in pop culture.

6. ‘Lose Yourself’ – 8 Mile

This was a game-changer. Even today when you listen to Eminem’s aggressive lyrics about overcoming obstacles to reach the top, it still sounds original, and 30 seconds in, you can tell that this is one of the greatest rap records of all time. The electric guitar intro is now so recognisable and unbelievably is still is a regular on radio stations across the world. Eminem didn’t just change the face of hip-hop with this song; he also changed the face of film music.

5. ‘Moon River’ – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Audrey Hepburn is just magical here. ‘Moon River’ shows the kind of impact a song can have in less than 2 minutes. Whilst the lyrics of reminiscing about a rural paradise are beautiful, it’s Hepburn’s sweet and gentle voice that makes this such an iconic moment of cinema. It’s gone on to be recorded over 500 times by an array of different artists in a variety of styles, but nothing will be able to beat that performance of Hepburn sitting in a window with a guitar.

4. ‘Skyfall’ – Skyfall

‘Skyfall’ is the best Bond movie and its title track is the best Bond theme. Adele was the perfect choice to bring to life a song about the deepest and most interesting look into the life of the 007 agent, and it’s near impossible to not get goosebumps as she enters into the chorus. It’s no wonder Sam Smith and Billie Eilish have essentially attempted to replicate Adele’s soulful and majestic tune in their own Bond theme’s, as she has now set an impossibly high bar for all future songs from the franchise.

3. ‘Glory’ – Selma

If you’re not sold on this song yet, go and watch the live performance at the Oscars; believe me, you will then. It’s an incredibly poignant song that fully embodies the message of Martin Luther King and brings it into the 21st century. With references to Ferguson and Rosa Parks, it enhances the impact of ‘Selma’ and breaks the mould of socially relevant songs generally being ignored by the Academy. ‘Glory’ is incredibly powerful and moving, and Common and John Legend’s recent performances at Joe Biden’s election rallies show how relevant it still is.

2. ‘Into the West’ – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

It’s should be no surprise to anyone that the greatest film of all time also produced one of the greatest film songs of all time. Whilst ‘Into the West’ reflects the sadness felt by the audience of this epic and game-changing trilogy ending, it also manages to capture the huge heights that the films were able to reach. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ manages to remain elegant and majestic whilst also being powerful and intense, and Annie Lennox brilliantly portrays this in a lullaby which mirrors the triumph and hope conjured up by the films. Honestly, I could go on about these films and this song for ages, so I’ll stop whilst I’m ahead. All I’ll say is it’s a fitting end to this cinematic juggernaut and was one of the most pleasing of ‘Return of the King’s 11 Oscar wins.

1. ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ – Philadelphia

Only Bruce Springsteen could beat ‘The Lord of the Rings’ to number 1 on this list. Easily the most heartbreaking song to win the Oscar, Springsteen’s song looks into depression and isolation associated with HIV/AIDS that is the focus of ‘Philadelphia’. He shows how anyone can be affected by this horrific disease and the effects of losing the trust of those you love can lead to loneliness and abandonment. It’s incredibly dark and a moving tribute to not only those who are suffering from AIDS, but those also suffering from mental illness, making the song all the more poignant for our generation. Springsteen is a masterful songwriter and his gentler approach (in comparison to his usual powerful rock vocals) along with the backing vocals and simplistic synths make for all the more emotional performance. It’s an outstanding piece of work by a legend of music.