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?
This week marks the release of Toy Story 5, the latest chapter in one of animation’s most beloved franchises. Early reactions have singled out Taylor Swift’s original song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” as one of the film’s emotional highlights, continuing a long tradition of animated films using music to deepen their storytelling and leave audiences humming long after the credits roll.
Few film genres have produced more memorable songs than animation. Whether it’s a heartfelt ballad, a soaring anthem, or an infectious earworm, the best of them become inseparable from the movies themselves. Since the start of the century, 23 tunes from animated films have earned Oscar nominations for Best Original Song, with five taking home the award. Most recently, KPop Demon Hunters joined that lineage when “Golden” won the Oscar earlier this year.
For this list, I’m focusing exclusively on songs from animated films released since 2000, a period that has given us an incredible collection of modern classics.
So, before we see where “I Knew It, I Knew You” ultimately lands in the conversation, let’s look back at the ten greatest original songs from animated films this century.
10. “Everything is Awesome” – The Lego Movie (2014)
9. “How Far I’ll Go” – Moana (2016)
8. “If I Didn’t Have You” – Monsters, Inc. (2001)
7. “Remember Me” – Coco (2017)
6. “Can’t Stop the Feeling” – Trolls (2016)
5. “Happy” – Despicable Me 2 (2013)
4. “I See the Light” – Tangled (2010)
3. “You’re Welcome” – Moana (2016)
2. “Sunflower” – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
1. “Let It Go” – Frozen (2013)
