Before a character speaks, a plot twist lands and before we even know who we’re supposed to trust, the music of a film has already begun to tell us how to feel.
That’s what makes Best Original Score one of the most powerful categories at the Oscars. While this Oscar segment rarely produces viral speeches or playing-off banter from award winners, it shapes the emotional structure of every film it touches. This year’s nominees for the 98th Academy Awards prove just how wide that structure can be.
Every year, I wait for this category with anticipation, seeing whose writing impacts the incredible pictures we see on our screens.
This year, the lineup is varied and feels experimental but deeply human. Though previously defined by Alfred Newman, Alan Menken and John Williams, there seems to be no single “Oscar sound” anymore. Instead, the category feels like a snapshot of where film music is right now, a restless and expansive resistance to blurred boundaries of different musical styles.
Take “Sinners,” composed by Ludwig Göransson, for example. If there's a perceived frontrunner, this might be it. Listening to his score, I hear Göransson building a muscular, emotionally-charged structure that pulses with urgency. There are moments that feel very intense, followed by passages that lean into something more intimate and melodic. It reflects the film's moral tension of identity, rebellion and consequence without ever feeling overstated.
What makes it Oscar-worthy though isn’t just its scale, but also its control. The music knows when to surge and when to step back, allowing silence to do its own narrative work. It’s that balance that tends to resonate with the Academy’s music branch of voters.
“One Battle After Another,” with a score by Jonny Greenwood, also succeeds with this type of integration. Greenwood has become an awards season regular, and for good reason. His compositions rarely move in straight lines. Instead, they swell and simmer, giving scenes a nervous energy. In this film, the score acts like a second bloodstream pumping tension even through the quietest moments.
On the more classical end of the scoring spectrum is “Frankenstein,” scored by Alexandre Desplat. Desplat is no stranger to the Oscars, having been nominated for the category a total of 12 times, and his work leans into an elegance of writing. The orchestration is textured, more concerned with mood than bombast.
There’s an old-Hollywood sensibility to parts of the composition, with sweeping strings and carefully placed piano motifs, yet it never feels dated. Instead, the music functions almost like a shadow, following the film’s emotional contours without overwhelming them.
If there’s a nominee defined by emotional intimacy, it’s “Hamnet,” composed by Max Richter. Richter's style is instantly recognizable. It's minimalist, aching and meditative writing. The score unfolds patiently, often built around repeating phrases that feel less like melodies and more like memories and patterns. When listening to it, I felt a compelling attachment, inviting me to listen more.
For a story grounded in grief and reflection, that musical approach feels like a fitting decision. And in a category that often rewards emotional resonance, “Hamnet” is in a lane of its own.
The wild card of the group may be “Bugonia,” with music written by Jerskin Fendrix. The score is unconventional and tonally daring, mixing heavy instrumentation with small amounts of lyricism. It is a score that signals where film music could be headed next and its nomination alone suggests an Academy increasingly open to risk.
The lineup represents a new period in film history where there’s no one style dominating the field. Instead, there’s a range from muscular and modern to classical to downright experimental.
And maybe that’s fitting.
Film music in 2026 doesn’t live solely in theaters. Today it lives in many places, on streaming platforms, study playlists, the background of late-night walks across campus. A great score elevates scenes and gives us something to take home with us.
When the envelopes are opened on Oscar night, most viewers will focus on Best Picture and the acting awards. But listen carefully. The music between speeches, under highlight reels and behind every emotional beat are the connective parts of the entire ceremony. And whatever takes home the Oscar this year will certainly say something about what Hollywood believes cinema should feel like right now.
