Oscars: Best Original Song — Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams and Ed Sheeran Among Competitive Music Race

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

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2025 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Song

Weekly Commentary (Updated Oct 17, 2024): The Oscar lineup for best original song always adds an extra layer of A-list talent to the ceremony, and this year looks to be no exception. That is if the Music Branch feels inclined to do so. Once again, we’re seeing some of the biggest names in music vying for the gold, one year after Billie Eilish and Finneas became the youngest two-time Oscar winners with “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie.” Could we see some more megastars return to the Academy Awards stage?

One of the most pulsating contenders this year is Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez,” which boasts two songs vying for attention — “El Mal” and “Mi Camino.” Both tracks were crafted by the talented duo of Clément Ducol and Camille, with the film’s director, Jacques Audiard, co-writing “El Mal.” As if that weren’t enough, there’s even a possibility of a third song being submitted for extra recognition. Could it be the energetic opening number, “El Alegato,” performed by the charismatic Zoe Saldaña? With so many strong musical options, “Emilia” could certainly increase its visibility but will the strategists risk a vote-split?

Another exciting possibility in the race is Miley Cyrus, who co-wrote “Beautiful That Way” with Lykke Li and last year’s Oscar-nominated songwriter Andrew Wyatt (of “I’m Just Ken” fame). Fresh off her Grammy wins for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year for her smash hit “Flowers,” Miley might be on track to earn her first Oscar nomination. Could this be her year to conquer Hollywood, too?

Ed Sheeran is also in the discussion with his song “Under the Tree,” featured in Richard Curtis’ animated Netflix film “That Christmas.” Meanwhile, Pharrell Williams has not one but two tracks in the running — the title song from “Piece by Piece” and the catchy “Double Life” from “Despicable Me 4.”

We can also expect some viable contenders from the animated and photorealistic movie slate. Disney’s “Moana 2” and “Mufasa: The Lion King,” as well as DreamWorks’ surprise box office hit “The Wild Robot,” are poised to deliver songs that could enchant both audiences and Academy voters alike.

And let’s not count out Lady Gaga. Despite the underwhelming box office performance and critical reception of her film “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Gaga could still strike an Oscar nom with the film’s title track (if submitted). She’s an Academy Award-winning songwriter, after all, with the song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born.” And if anyone can pull off an Oscar nod under tough circumstances, it’s Mother Monster herself!

Look at the first prediction charts below, and return every Thursday for updates.

Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.

The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2. The full rankings are below. All movie listings, titles, and distributors are not final and are subject to change.