Happy Tuesday, dear readers! Each week, we’ll rank the top 10 films in a specific category. While we aim to tie these lists to big releases, that won’t always be the case. Our goal? For you to enjoy, share your own lists, and join in on a lively, friendly debate. This is an interactive space to build community here at The Contending.
No fancy intros, no long essays – just a category and a list. Sound good?
Last Wednesday, the film and music worlds lost Glen Hansard, who tragically passed away following a motorcycle accident at the age of 56. Hansard was many things: an Oscar-winning songwriter, a gifted musician, and the creative force behind one of the most beloved independent films of the 21st century, Once. Alongside Markéta Irglová, he co-wrote “Falling Slowly,” a song so beautiful and emotionally raw that it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Like many of you, I have a personal connection to that song. When my firstborn was a baby, “Falling Slowly” was one of the songs that helped put him to sleep night after night. Almost two decades later, I still can’t hear that heavenly song without being transported back to those quiet moments of early parenthood. That’s the power of a truly great song. It becomes forever intertwined with our memories.
In memory of Glen Hansard and the music he gave us, this week’s list is dedicated to the Academy Award-winning songs that have defined the century so far.
Here are the ten greatest Original Song Oscar winners of the 21st century.
10. “Remember Me” from Coco – Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2017)
9. “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie – Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (2023)
8. “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters – EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park (2025)
7. “Skyfall” from Skyfall – Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth (2012)
6. “Let It Go” from Frozen – Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2013)
5. “Into the West” from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Fran Walsh, Howard Shore, and Annie Lennox (2003)
4. “Shallow” from A Star is Born – Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt (2018)
3. “The Weary Kind” from Crazy Heart – Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (2009)
2. “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile – Eminem, Jeff Bass, and Luis Resto (2002)
1. “Falling Slowly” from Once – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (2007)
