Ryan Coogler’s Oscar hopeful “Sinners” has joined the ranks of the most Grammy-nominated films, standing alongside “A Star Is Born” and “Purple Rain” with five nominations this year. The film earned recognition in three categories: Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for Ludwig Göransson, Best Song Written for Film/TV (for “I Lied to You,” “Pale, Pale Moon,” and “Sinners“), and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Film/TV for the complete soundtrack.
Also competing in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category is “Golden” from “Kpop Demon Hunters,” which received four nominations, including the coveted Song of the Year nomination. This category has a history of honoring Oscar contenders for Best Original Song; most recently, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” won both awards in 2024.
The race between “I Lied to You” and “Golden” has grown increasingly competitive, with “Sinners” emerging as the stronger overall film while “Golden” continues to dominate the charts. In the past, chart-topping songs from Best Animated Feature winners such as “Remember Me” from “Coco” and “Let It Go” from “Frozen” have also gone on to win the Oscar for Best Original Song.
There’s also an ongoing trend of Warner Bros. Best Picture nominees winning solely in the Best Original Song category, a fate that “Sinners” could share. Both “Barbie” and “A Star Is Born” secured their only Oscars for their signature songs despite being competitive in other categories. With “One Battle After Another” still the clear frontrunner and “Hamnet” solidifying its position as the #2 Best Picture contender, “Sinners” faces stiff competition in many of the categories it’s competing in. Best Cinematography is a toss-up between several contenders; meanwhile, “It Was Just an Accident” is gaining momentum daily in the Best Original Screenplay race. While “Sinners” currently holds a slight edge in both categories, it’s entirely possible that it could join the ranks of past Warner Bros. releases that only took home the Oscar in the Best Original Song category.
There have been no previous instances of a similar scenario occurring at both the Grammys and the Oscars, making this a truly unique situation. “Golden” benefits from its massive popularity and presence in the general Grammy fields, while “I Lied to You” gains strength from being part of the more critically acclaimed film, which also earned the most Grammy nominations overall. The song is further elevated by its placement in the film’s most acclaimed scene, a stunning oner that takes audiences through the evolution of music, a true standout moment in what many consider a top-five Best Picture contender. It’s also hard to say whether “Golden” appearing in the general field categories means it was more respected, as that field tends to favor hit songs over tracks from critically acclaimed films. The five nominations for “Sinners” still demonstrate that it is highly respected within the music world, and we know it’s already going to score more Oscar nominations than “Kpop Demon Hunters,” which suggests the Academy will likely appreciate it more overall.
The fate of “Sinners” could feel far too similar to that of “Barbie” and “A Star Is Born,” beloved movies that succeeded at the box office, with critics, and with audiences. Both films remained top-five contenders throughout their respective awards seasons with the potential to win multiple Oscars, but ultimately lost to late-breaking favorites. If “Golden” were to win Best Original Song, it would mirror “Frozen’s” “Let It Go” triumphing over “The Moon Song” from Best Picture nominee “Her,” or “Coco’s” “Remember Me” winning over “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me By Your Name.”
The other wildcard within this race is the potential breakthrough of a song from “Wicked: For Good,” which could combine the chart-topping success of “Golden” with the thematic relevance of “I Lied to You.” While no songs from “Wicked: For Good” were eligible for the Grammys this year, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo did score a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Defying Gravity,” and the first film picked up four additional nominations, which suggests a similar sign of adoration within the music community for the megahit Broadway adaptation.
While I would still personally give the edge to “I Lied To You,” “Golden” remains a major threat that is getting recognition from within the industry, and especially from general audiences. Even if Academy voters have not seen the film, they’ve certainly heard the song, either from their kids or on the radio. It’s inescapable. The Grammy nominations do not give any clear edge to a frontrunner in this category as of yet. Still, they do show strength in both films and how close this race is going to be until we hear from the Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe Awards, the highest-profile two precursors for Best Original Song.
What do you think? Which film are you predicting to win Best Original Song at the Oscars? Will it be “Sinners,” “Wicked: For Good” is about to swoop in and take the Oscar from both of these? Please let us know in the comments section below and on our X account and check out the team’s latest Oscar predictions here.
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