While most award shows don't release shortlists before announcing the final nominees, the Oscars do. The list of contenders for Best Original Song at the 92nd annual Academy Awards has been shared and both Beyoncé and Pharrell made the cut. Among the fifteen songs up for nominations are Beyoncé's "Spirit" from The Lion King and Pharrell’s "Letter to My Godfather" from Netflix's The Black Godfather.
While Beyoncé has never earned an Oscar nomination before, Pharrell competed in the Best Original Song category in 2014 with "Happy" from Despicable Me 2. While the song was inescapable throughout that year and remains in rotation to this day, it ultimately lost to the equally-huge song, "Let It Go" from Frozen. Best of luck to Bey and Pharrell. We're rooting for you both!
Oscars' 2020 Shortlist For Best Original Song
Beyoncé’s “Spirit” from The Lion King
Thom Yorke’s “Daily Battles” from Motherless Brooklyn
Pharrell Williams and Clad Hugo’s “Letter to My Godfather” from The Black Grandfather
Idina Menzel’s “Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2
Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Never Too Late” from The Lion King
Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman
Cynthia Erivo’s “Stand Up” from Harriet
Randy Newman’s “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4
Kathryn Bostic’s “High Above the Water” from Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Jung Jae-il's “A Glass of Soju” from Parasite
Mary Steenburgen & Jessie Buckley's "Glasgow" from Wild Rose
Jon Lajoie's "Catchy Song" from The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Alan Menken's "Speechless” from Aladdin
Charles Fox & Paul Williams' “Da Bronx” from The Bronx USA
Diane Warren's “I’m Standing With You” from Breakthrough
