Some of the thrilling classes on the upcoming Oscars ceremonies cannot have a repeat of what occurred final 12 months. The upcoming 98th Academy Awards are shaping as much as be a really aggressive competitors this 12 months, with loads of big-name movies already competing throughout the board.
Some of the aggressive fields this time round is shaping as much as be “Greatest Authentic Track,” the place KPop Demon Hunters is dealing with robust challenges from the likes of Sinners and Depraved: For Good. All of it means that the Oscars have to be cautious to incorporate one of many ceremony’s typical highlights, particularly after they skipped it final time round.
The Academy Awards Skipped Greatest Authentic Track Performances Final Yr, And Cannot Do That Once more
The Oscars skipped the reside performances of Greatest Authentic Track on the 97th Academy Awards, a call they can not repeat this 12 months. Whereas each Oscar season has some standout songs that escape and earn a nomination for Greatest Authentic Track, the upcoming ceremony might need one of the aggressive fields the class has ever seen.
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters is a real cultural touchstone, with the track turning into a radio fixture and arguably the track of 2025. Two authentic songs for Depraved: For Good, “No Place Like House” and “The Lady In The Bubble” may give the Academy an opportunity to have fun the large success of the musical adaptation.
Sinners’ soulful “I Lied To You” musical sequence stands out as a spotlight second within the movie. Even past these frontrunners, rivals like Aiyana-Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” from Spike Lee’s movie of the identical title, Miley Cyrus’ “Dream As One” for Avatar: Hearth and Ash, and “Pricey Me,” from Diane Warren: Relentless promise a good race this 12 months.
The sheer recognition of “Golden,” Depraved, and “I Lied To You” makes them supreme for bringing in house audiences who would possibly in any other case skip the ceremony, as their place within the cultural zeitgeist makes them invaluable in highlighting the continued relevancy of the Oscars within the popular culture dialog. These songs had been real hits with audiences and needs to be celebrated.
That is why the Academy Awards, certainly not, can repeat what they did final 12 months with the class. On the 97th Academy Awards, the everyday reside performances that assist enliven the ceremony had been lower from the printed. As a substitute, the ceremony aired clips highlighting the artistic groups behind the songs.
Why The Oscars Want To Convey Again Stay Musical Performances
Whereas it was an excellent probability to spotlight the songwriters who do not all the time get to be a part of the reside efficiency, it did have an effect on the present. The Greatest Authentic Track performances are sometimes amongst probably the most memorable moments of any Oscars broadcast, particularly in recent times.
Performances like Woman Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born duet or Ryan Gosling’s bombastic efficiency of “I Am Ken” from Barbie had been highlights of their respective ceremonies. They’re important to the run-time of the ceremony, giving the viewers a break from the nominations and reflections with a full of life jolt of musical vitality.
It is one thing the ceremony nonetheless tried to copy final 12 months with different reside performances celebrating the legacy of The Wizard of Oz, with Coleman Domingo’s spirited response to Queen Latifah’s The Wiz efficiency standing out as a second of real pleasure and keenness in an evening meant to have fun these elements of the filmmaking course of.
The reside musical performances are a few of the most entertaining moments within the Academy Awards. It is an opportunity to spotlight how the customarily spontaneous vitality of a musical efficiency can nonetheless be essential to the general affect and energy of a movie.
It was irritating that the earlier Oscar ceremony did away with the performances. Even when a part of the reasoning (to carve out time to honor the firefighters and first responders who handled the wildfires that devastated the Los Angeles space) was a commendable one, it was nonetheless lower than supreme.
Given the energy of the class this 12 months and the crossover potential it has with the overall audiences that helped flip Sinners and KPop Demon Hunters into such hits, it will be surprising to see the Academy repeat that call.
The reside musical performances are nice examples of open vulnerability in a largely telegraphed and rehearsed ceremony. The naturalistic response from the group and the eagerness of the performer are sometimes amongst probably the most emotionally stirring moments of any ceremony.
It is also an opportunity to spotlight the expertise of younger performers and established stars alike, with the upcoming ceremony having the right probability to showcase the expertise of singers like Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, Miles Canton, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and all the opposite potential nominees.
The Academy Awards have to deliver again the reside Greatest Authentic Songs performances. Given the sheer energy of the Greatest Authentic Songs class this 12 months and the potential it has to attract in viewers, I actually hope the Oscars would not replicate final 12 months’s choice.
8/10
- Location
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Los Angeles, CA
- Dates
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March 15, 2026
- Web site
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https://www.oscars.org/