Okay music fans you know Diane Warren right? She is like a songwriting machine cranking out hit after hit for decades. Seriously the woman is responsible for some of the biggest songs ever. But there is one award that has always seemed to slip through her fingers: the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Another Year Another Nomination Another Loss: Diane Warren's Oscar Journey Continues
Yep you guessed it. At the recent 97th Academy Awards Diane Warren was nominated again for her song "The Journey" from the movie The Six Triple Eight. And yep she did not win. The award went to Clément Ducol and Camille for "El Mal" from Emilia Pérez. That makes it a record-breaking 16 losses for Diane in this category.
Sixteen! That is a whole lot of nominations. It is her eighth nomination in a row and she has been nominated a total of 16 times since way back in 1987. It is kind of unbelievable right? She holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a female songwriter ever beating out the legendary Marilyn Bergman. But still no win for the competitive award.
Not Just Oscars: Diane Warren is an Award-Winning Hit Machine (Just Not at the Academy Awards!)
Okay before you feel too bad for Diane Warren let's be clear: she is not exactly lacking awards. In 2022 she actually received an Honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. This is like a lifetime achievement Oscar recognizing her amazing career. Plus she has got a Grammy an Emmy Golden Globes Ivor Novello and Billboard Music Awards. She is definitely not hurting for recognition in general.
And when you look at her song catalog it is insane. She has written nine US number one hits and 33 top 10 songs! Think about it: Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live" Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". These are all Diane Warren songs. She is a hit-making machine a true icon even without that competitive Oscar.
No Live Song Performances at the Oscars? Why the Academy Changed Things Up This Year
Speaking of the Oscars did you notice something different about the Best Original Song category this year? There were no live performances of the nominated songs. For ages the Oscar song performances have been a major highlight of the show. Remember Celine Dion singing "My Heart Will Go On" or Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper with "Shallow"? Those are iconic Oscar moments.
But this year the Academy decided to skip the live performances. Instead they had prerecorded segments where the songwriters talked about their work. They said they wanted to "celebrate their artistry through personal reflections". Some people in the music biz and Oscar fans were not happy about this change. The Society of Composers & Lyricists even wrote a letter asking the Academy to reconsider saying it devalued music and songwriters and that music is important especially after tough times like the Los Angeles fires.
Music Still Happened: Wicked Stars Performances and a Quincy Jones Tribute Highlighted the Show
Even without the nominated song performances the Oscars were not totally music-free. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo from the movie Wicked performed even though their songs were not eligible for Oscars because they are from Broadway. Doja Cat Lisa from Blackpink and Raye also performed during the show. Plus there was a special musical tribute to the legendary Quincy Jones with Queen Latifah performing. So music was still a part of the night just not in the traditional nominated song performance way.
Diane Warren's Oscar History: A Run of Nominations and an Honorary Award to Celebrate a Stellar Career
Let's recap Diane Warren's long and interesting relationship with the Oscars Best Original Song award.
- 16 Nominations Total: The most nominations for any female songwriter in history.
- 8 Consecutive Nominations: Showing her consistent hit-making ability in film.
- No Competitive Wins (Yet!): Despite the many nominations the Best Original Song Oscar remains elusive.
- 2022 Honorary Oscar: Awarded in recognition of her incredible lifetime contributions to music and film.
- Hit Songs Galore: Wrote countless iconic songs that have topped charts and become beloved classics.
Will Diane Warren Ever Win? The Songwriting Legend's Oscar Journey Continues
So sixteen nominations and still no win for the competitive Oscar. Will Diane Warren ever finally take home that Best Original Song trophy? Who knows! But even without it her legacy as one of the greatest songwriters of our time is absolutely secure. She keeps writing amazing music keeps getting nominated and keeps being Diane Warren a total legend in the music world. Maybe someday that Oscar will happen but even if it doesn't her impact on music is undeniable and that is a win in itself.