Oscar Records: Barbra Streisand, Adele & More Chart-Topping Wins

The 96th Academy Awards are fast approaching, and with them, the possibility of new records being set in the best original song category. If “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters wins, it will be a first: the first Kpop song to win an Oscar, the first with more than four credited writers, and the first where the writers must share a single statuette due to the Academy’s limit of four awards per song.

And if Diane Warren finally wins for “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless, she’ll become the most nominated songwriter to ever win in this category, surpassing Randy Newman, who previously held the record with 15 nominations before his win in 2022 for “If I Didn’t Have You.”

Let’s take a glance at 25 songs that have already etched their names into Oscar history, setting records that continue to resonate today. Here’s a look back at the songs that have broken barriers and defined moments in the Academy Awards’ musical legacy.

First Best Song Winner: “The Continental” (1935)

Featured in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film, The Gay Divorcee, this song marked the beginning of the best original song category. Con Conrad and Herb Magidson wrote the tune.

First Best Song Winner with Three Writers: “The Windmills of Your Mind” (1969)

Prior to this ballad from The Thomas Crown Affair, most best song winners were penned by one or two writers. Alan and Marilyn Bergman, along with Michel Legrand, broke that mold. The Bergmans also won a second Oscar in 1974 for “The Way We Were,” co-written with Marvin Hamlisch.

First Best Song Winner with Four Writers: “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1982)

Co-written by Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen, this song showcased a collaborative effort. Sager acknowledged a lyric originated with Allen, a gesture that might not be permissible under today’s stricter Academy rules.

First Best Song Winner Co-Written by a Woman: “The Way You Look Tonight” (1937)

Lyricist Dorothy Fields collaborated with composer Jerome Kern on this classic from Swing Time, another Astaire/Rogers pairing.

First Best Song Winner Credited Solely to a Woman: “Let the River Run” (1989)

Carly Simon wrote both the music and lyrics for this song from Working Girl. She acknowledged her husband’s contribution to the lyrics during her acceptance speech.

First Best Song Winner Composed by a Woman: “Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born)” (1977)

Barbra Streisand composed the melody to this song from her remake of A Star Is Born, with lyrics by Paul Williams. She said, “I’m very honored and excited.”

First Best Song Winner Written by a Black Songwriter: “Theme From Shaft” (1972)

Isaac Hayes’ iconic song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and made him the first Black person to win an Oscar in a non-acting category. He thanked his grandmother in his acceptance speech.

First Best Song Winner Performed in a Foreign Language in the Film: “Mona Lisa” (1951)

An uncredited performer sang this song in Spanish in Captain Carey, U.S.A. Nat King Cole also had a hit with the English version.

First & Only Best Song Winner with a Bilingual Title: “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” (1957)

Doris Day sang this song in The Man Who Knew Too Much, introducing a phrase in Spanish to many American audiences.

First Best Song Winner from a Documentary: “I Need to Wake Up” (2007)

Melissa Etheridge wrote this song for An Inconvenient Truth, about climate change. She spoke of the inspiration behind the song in her acceptance speech.

First Best Song Winner Performed in the Film by the Songwriter: “I’m Uncomplicated” (1976)

Keith Carradine performed this song in Robert Altman’s Nashville.

First & Only Best Song Winner Presented Posthumously: “Beauty and the Beast” (1992)

Howard Ashman passed away before the song won, making it the first posthumous win in this category. His partner accepted the award, acknowledging the significance of the moment.

First Best Song Winner from a Film That Also Won Best Original Score: “Over the Rainbow” (1940)

Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg wrote this song for The Wizard of Oz, which also won best original score.

First Best Song Winner from a Film That Also Won Best Picture: “Swinging on a Star” (1945)

Bing Crosby performed this song in Going My Way, which swept the awards, including best picture.

First Best Song Winner from a Film That Received No Other Nominations: “Thanks for the Memory” (1939)

Bob Hope’s signature song from The Big Broadcast of 1938 was the film’s only nomination.

First Best Song Winner to Also Win the Grammy for Song of the Year: “Moon River” (1962)

Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s song from Breakfast at Tiffany’s achieved this rare double win.

First Best Song Winner to Top the Billboard Hot 100: “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (1970)

Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s song, performed by B.J. Thomas, reached number one on the charts.

First Best Song Winner Written by a Pair of Siblings: “Chim Chim Cher-ee” (1965)

Richard M. And Robert B. Sherman wrote this song for Mary Poppins. Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell later joined them as the second sibling duo to win in this category.

First Hip-Hop Song to Win Best Song: “Lose Yourself” (2003)

Eminem, Jeff Bass, and Luis Resto co-wrote this song for 8 Mile. Eminem did not attend the ceremony.

First Title Song to Win Best Song: “Three Coins in the Fountain” (1955)

Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn wrote this song for the film of the same name.

First Best Song Winner Written or Co-Written by the Film’s Director: “You Light Up My Life” (1978)

Joseph Brooks wrote, directed, and produced the film and composed the song.