The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. Some pre-existing music is allowed, though, but a contending film must include a minimum of original music. This minimum since 2021 is established as 35% of the music, which is raised to 80% for sequels and franchise films. Fifteen scores are shortlisted before nominations are announced.
Cars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2006 Disney/Pixar film of the same name. Released by Walt Disney Records on June 6, 2006, nine songs from the soundtrack are from popular and contemporary artists. The styles of these songs vary between pop, blues, country, heavy metal, and rock. The remaining eleven pieces are orchestral scores composed and conducted by Randy Newman. The soundtrack was released three days before the film's release into theaters. It was also the fifth Pixar film not to be scored by Michael Giacchino or Thomas Newman.
"If I Didn't Have You" is a song written by singer-songwriter Randy Newman, that appears during the end credits of the 2001 Disney·Pixar animated film, Monsters, Inc. Sung by John Goodman and Billy Crystal, the song won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Original Song. This was Newman's first Oscar. Previously, Newman had been nominated fifteen times in the Best Score and Best Song categories, but had never won. Arguably "the film's lone song", the tune serves as the major motif for the film.
American Beauty: Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a soundtrack album featuring various artists for the 1999 American drama film American Beauty, released on October 5, 1999, by DreamWorks Records. It features two tracks from the film's original score, composed by Thomas Newman, which was released in 2000 entitled American Beauty: Original Motion Picture Score.
Kenneth Lorin Darby was an American composer, vocal arranger, lyricist, and conductor. His film scores were recognized by the awarding of three Academy Awards and one Grammy Award. He provided vocals for the Munchkinland mayor in The Wizard of Oz (1939), who was portrayed in the film by Charlie Becker. Darby is also notable as the author of The Brownstone House of Nero Wolfe (1983), a biography of the home of Rex Stout's fictional detective.
Finding Nemo (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2003 Disney/Pixar film of the same name. Featuring original score composed by Thomas Newman, the cousin of Randy Newman, who had collaborated with Pixar productions since Toy Story (1995), A Bug's Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Monsters, Inc. (2001). The album consisted 39 instrumental tracks from Thomas' score and a cover of Bobby Darin's 1959 single "Beyond The Sea" (which is also a cover of the 1945 single "La Mer" by Charles Trenet) performed by Robbie Williams, released by Walt Disney Records on May 20, 2003.
Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official soundtrack album to the 1991 Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast. Originally released on October 22, 1991 by Walt Disney Records, the album's first half – tracks 2 to 9 – generally contains the film's musical numbers, all of which were written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, while its latter half – tracks 10 to 14 – features its musical score, composed solely by Menken. While the majority of the album's content remains within the musical theatre genre, its songs have also been influenced by French, classical, pop and Broadway music. Credited to Various Artists, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features performances by the film's main cast – Paige O'Hara, Richard White, Jesse Corti, Jerry Orbach, Angela Lansbury, Robby Benson and David Ogden Stiers – in order of appearance. Additionally, the album features recording artists Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, who perform a pop rendition of the film's theme song of the same name, which simultaneously serves as the soundtrack's only single.
Def Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack is the soundtrack to Brett Ratner's 1998 action comedy film Rush Hour. It was released on September 15, 1998, through Rush Associated Labels and consisted of hip hop and R&B music. The soundtrack was a huge success, peaking at 5 on the Billboard 200 and 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and spawned the number 1 single "How Deep Is Your Love". The soundtrack was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 15, 1998, and platinum on January 21, 1999.
WALL·E is the soundtrack album to the 2008 Disney-Pixar film of the same name composed and conducted by Thomas Newman. WALL·E is the second Pixar film to be scored by Thomas Newman after Finding Nemo (2003). It was also the second Pixar film not to be scored by Randy Newman or Michael Giacchino. Released by Walt Disney Records on June 24, 2008, it was mainly composed by Thomas Newman and orchestration is credited to Carl Johnson, JAC Redford, Thomas Pasatieri, and Gary K. Thomas. Newman previously scored Finding Nemo and most of all other Pixar films have been scored by either Newman's cousin Randy, Michael Giacchino or Patrick Doyle.
Toy Story 2: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 1999 Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 2. The score for the film is composed by Randy Newman, who previously composed for its predecessor, Toy Story. It was released by Walt Disney Records on November 9, 1999. Although out of print in the U.S., the CD is available in the U.S. as an import and all but one song is available digitally.
Ratatouille (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2007 Disney/Pixar film of the same name composed by Michael Giacchino. The film marked Giacchino's second Pixar film after The Incredibles, which was also directed by Bird and also the second Pixar film not to be scored by Randy Newman or Thomas Newman. The album features original score cues, with an original song "Le Festin" written by Giacchino and performed by Camille, and was released by Walt Disney Records on June 26, 2007.
Anastasia: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack for the 1997 Don Bluth/Fox Animation Studios film Anastasia. It contains songs from the film written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, selections of the original score composed by David Newman, and performed by Liz Callaway, Jim Cummings, Jonathan Dokuchitz and Kelsey Grammer, among others, and features singles by Aaliyah and Deana Carter, and a duet with Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, along with tracks from the film's score composed by Newman. It was released on October 28, 1997, on CD and audio cassette.
Blade: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to Stephen Norrington's 1998 film Blade. It was released on August 25, 1998, through TVT Soundtrax/Epic Records, and featured a wide range of musical genres including hip hop, techno, electronic and alternative rock.
The Princess and the Frog (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack of the 2009 Disney animated film The Princess and the Frog. It was released by Walt Disney Records on November 23, 2009, just a day before the limited release of the film in New York City and Los Angeles. It contains ten original songs and seven score pieces, all but one of which were composed, arranged and conducted by composer Randy Newman, who previously worked with the film's executive producer John Lasseter on Pixar's films Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc. and Cars. "Never Knew I Needed" was written and performed by Ne-Yo. The song had an accompanying music video which featured rotation on Disney Channel. The song was also sent to rhythmic radio on October 27, 2009. The songs are performed by various artists most of which lend their voices to characters in the film. The score features African-American-influenced styles including jazz, zydeco, blues and gospel.
Toy Story 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to Disney/Pixar's 2010 film of the same name composed by Randy Newman. The score was composed by recurrent Pixar composer Randy Newman, who also scored for the previous instalments in the franchise. The score album, featuring an original song "We Belong Together" performed by Newman, and instrumental tracks were released on June 15, 2010 by Walt Disney Records. It was also the sixth Pixar film not to be scored by Michael Giacchino or Thomas Newman. The track "You've Got a Friend in Me" from the first instalment is also featured in the album, performed by The Gipsy Kings.
Skyfall: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 23rd James Bond film of the same name. Released by Sony Classical on 29 October 2012 in the United Kingdom and on 6 November 2012 in the United States, the music was composed by Thomas Newman. This is Newman's first Bond soundtrack, making him the ninth composer to score a Bond film. The score won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. In 2013, it became one of two Bond scores to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. The other to be nominated was the score from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
Saving Mr. Banks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album of the 2013 drama film Saving Mr. Banks, written and conducted by American film composer Thomas Newman.
The Help is a 2011 period comedy-drama film written and directed by Tate Taylor and based on Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. The film features an ensemble cast, including Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone. Two soundtrack albums were released for the film: an original soundtrack and an original score. Music producer Thomas Newman, music supervisor Jennifer Hawks, director Tate Taylor, worked on both the soundtracks as the executive producer, while Newman also composed the film score. The soundtrack album was released by Geffen Records and DreamWorks Records on August 4, 2011, while Varèse Sarabande released the score album on September 6.
He Named Me Malala (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2015 documentary film of the same name about young Pakistani female activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The album was released digitally on October 2, 2015 and through physical formats on October 30 by Sony Classical. It consisted the film's original score composed by Thomas Newman, while also featured two original songs that are not included in the album.
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