Excitement builds as the shortlists for the 2025 Academy Awards music categories have been announced. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has spotlighted notable talents such as Daniel Blumberg, Bryce Dessner, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Hans Zimmer for the prestigious Best Original Score award. Additionally, Reznor and Ross have earned nominations for Best Original Song, joining the likes of Maren Morris and Pharrell Williams. Details of the shortlists are as follows.
In the Best Original Score category, Reznor and Ross stand out with their work in Challengers, while Blumberg shines with The Brutalist. Other prominent names include Bryce Dessner for Sing Sing, along with familiar nominees like Danny Elfman for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Hans Zimmer for Blitz. The shortlist also features 2023 winner Volker Bertelmann for Conclave among others.
Maren Morris, along with her co-writers, is in the running for Best Original Song with the track “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot. Pharrell Williams’ title song from his film Piece by Piece also makes the shortlist. Notably, Emilia Pérez has multiple entries: Clément Ducol and Camille crafted “El Mal” for Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón, while “Mi Camino” is performed by Selena Gomez.
In addition to the music categories, the Academy has also unveiled the shortlist for Best Documentary Feature Film, which includes director Gary Hustwit’s documentary Eno.
As the 2025 Golden Globe Awards nominees emerge, there’s significant overlap with the Academy Awards shortlists. All but one nominee for Best Original Score – Motion Picture is included in the Oscars shortlist, with Dune: Part Two being the exception. Hans Zimmer is represented for Blitz instead.
In the realm of songs, the only Golden Globe nominee absent from the Academy Awards shortlist is Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, and Andrew Wyatt’s entry “Beautiful That Way” from Last Showgirl.
The anticipation for the 2025 Academy Awards, set for Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, continues to grow, with Conan O’Brien confirmed as the host.
Music (Original Score)
Aaron Zigman – The Six Triple Eight
Amelia Warner – Young Woman and the Sea
Andrea Datzman – Inside Out 2
Alberto Iglesias – The Room Next Door
Benjamin Wallfisch – Alien: Romulus
Bryce Dessner – Sing Sing
Chanda Dancy – Blink Twice
Clément Ducol & Camille – Emilia Pérez
Cristobal Tapia de Veer – Babygirl
Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist
Danny Elfman – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Hans Zimmer – Blitz
Harry Gregson-Williams – Gladiator II
John Cardon Debney – Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1
Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot
Robin Carolan – Nosferatu
Tamar-kali – The Fire Inside
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers
Volker Bertelmann – Conclave
John Powell & Stephen Schwartz – Wicked
Music (Original Song)
Aaron Pierre & Tiffany Boone – Tell Me It’s You (Mufasa: The Lion King)
Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander – Like a Bird (Sing Sing)
Auli‘i Cravalho Featuring Rachel House – Beyond (Moana 2)
Camille, Zoe Saldaña & Karla Sofía Gascón – El Mal (Emilia Pérez)
Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Never Too Late (Elton John: Never Too Late)
Kneecap – Sick in the Head (Kneecap)
Kristen Wiig – Harper and Will Go West (Will & Harper)
Lainey Wilson – Out of Oklahoma (Twisters)
Maren Morris – Kiss the Sky (The Wild Robot)
Pharrell Williams & Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers – Piece by Piece (Piece by Piece)
Robbie Williams – Forbidden Road (Better Man)
Saoirse Ronan & Nicholas Britell – Winter Coat (Blitz)
Selena Gomez – Mi Camino (Emilia Pérez)
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Compress / Repress (Challengers)
