After narrowing down from a list of hundreds of possible choices, we’re down to five nominees for this year’s Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The Weeknd’s “Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” was the Canadian singer’s second top 5 hit before he would rule the summer of 2015 with concurrent No. 1 hits in “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” The song’s video was directed by the film’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, and featured an appearance by star Dakota Johnson.
Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre” is the first James Bond movie theme to reach No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart. Despite mediocre reviews and lackluster success outside the U.K., it is coming off a Golden Globe win for Best Original Song.
Lady Gaga and Diane Warren’s “Til It Happens to You” focuses on the idea of placing oneself in the shoes of someone who is suffering and trying to imagine the pain of what they are going through. Attached to the documentary “The Hunting Ground,” which details cases of sexual assault on American college campuses, the song is an effective emotional pull.
Vote for this year’s Best Original Song.