POP GOES THE CATEGORY

This years best original song hopefuls includes a bevy of musical superstars, with 84 Grammys and 46 platinum albums among them. Some key data points

SAVANNAH WALSH

VANITIES / Original Song

U2

'YOUR SONG SAVED MY LIFE"

from Sing 2 (Universal)

Previous Oscar noms: two. Grammys won: 22. Platinumselling albums: 17. Best lyric:

"You know your song saved my life / I don't sing it just so I can get by / Won't you hear me when I tell you, darling / I sing it to survive." Competitive edge: It's U2's first original song since 2019, and animated movies have had real success in this category in recent years.

VAN MORRISON "DOWN TO JOY"

from Belfast (Focus Features)

Previous Oscar noms: zero. Grammys won: two. Platinumselling albums: two. Best lyric: "I had a brand new story / Cornin' down to joy / Man I felt the glory / When I was cornin' down to joy." Competitive edge: As the composer of the popular Belfast, Morrison could score a rare double nomination— provided his stand against COVID lockdowns doesn't get in his way.

JENNIFER HUDSON "HERE I AM (SINGING MY WAY HOME) "

from Respect (United Artists)

Previous Oscar noms:

one—a supporting actress win for Dreamgirls in 2007. Grammys won: two. Platinum-selling albums: zero. Best lyric: "Stepped out on the road, became a woman on the way / Stare the whole world down / 'Til you hold it in your hands and say / Here I am (here I am)." Competitive edge: She's already an Oscar winner and could be nominated for best actress too.

RILLIE EILISH

"NO TIME TO DIE "

from No Time to Die

(United Artists)

from King Richard (Warner Bros.)

JAY-Z

"GUNS GO RANG "

from The Harder They Fall (Netflix)

Previous Oscar noms: zero. Grammys won: seven— including an award for this very song. Platinum-selling albums: two. Best lyric: "I should've known / I'd leave alone / Just goes to show / That the blood you bleed / Is just the blood you owe." Competitive edge: The previous two Bond themes have won this category, and Eilish could bring coveted Gen Z appeal to the Oscars.

REYONCE "RE ALIVE"

Previous Oscar noms: zero. Grammys won: 28. Platinumselling albums: 12. Best lyric: "This is hustle personified / Look how we've been fighting to stay alive / So when we win, we will have pride." Competitive edge: She's a superstar representing a crowd-pleaser—plus she's in the race against husband Jay-Z.

Previous Oscar noms: zero. Grammys won: 23. Platinumselling albums: 13. Best lyric: "Stain glass windows on the church, I hope they stain proof / Cause when the tides change, I'm tryna stain you / Plottin' for revenge, dig your grave too / Whatever you want engraved what your tombstone gon' say too." Competitive edge: He's got both this song and another from the stylish Western, and did we mention that his wife is also in the running?