Reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 has been a goal for songwriters since the chart’s inception in 1958. Winning an Oscar for best original song has been on most songwriters’ bucket lists even longer than that – the category dates back to 1934.
A total of 27 songs have achieved both of these milestones. That number could jump to 28 when the 95th annual Academy Awards are presented on March 12 if Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” wins the award. The song debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in November 2022. The number could also jump to 28 if one of the other nominees wins and makes a big enough splash on the show that it belatedly reaches the top 10.
Five artists have each made the top 10 with two Oscar-winning songs – Barbra Streisand, Irene Cara, Jennifer Warnes, Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. Streisand and Cara each co-wrote one of those songs.
Scroll through a gallery featuring the 27 songs that both made the top 10 on the Hot 100 and won an Oscar for best original song. (Hits between 1934-57 don’t appear because they pre-dated the Hot 100.)
First, let’s give a quick shout-out to an Oscar-winning classic that just missed the top 10 – twice. Two versions of “Moon River,” the 1961 champ, peaked at No. 11 – one by its composer Henry Mancini and another by R&B singer Jerry Butler.
Now let’s fire up that time machine. (All chart references are to the Hot 100.)
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“Born Free”
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 1966 (39th Oscars)
“Born Free” from Born Free
Music by John Barry; Lyrics by Don Black
Notes: Roger Williams’ recording of the title song from the film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers reached No. 7 in December 1966. Williams teamed with the Young Americans vocal group to perform the song on the Oscars on April 10, 1967. Dean Martin presented the award to Black. (Barry was a no-show on the night he won two Oscars – this award and best original music score.)
From left: Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers
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“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive/GI 1969 (42nd Oscars)
“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Music by Burt Bacharach; Lyrics by Hal David
Notes: B.J. Thomas’ jaunty recording spent four weeks at No. 1 in January 1970. Thomas performed the song on the Oscars on April 7, 1970. Candice Bergen presented the award to Bacharach and David, who had been nominated three times previously without winning for “What’s New Pussycat,” “Alfie” and “The Look of Love.” Bacharach won a second award on the night – best original score for a motion picture [not a musical].
From left: Burt Bacharach, Hal David
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“For All We Know”
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 1970 (43rd Oscars)
“For All We Know” from Lovers and Other Strangers
Music by Fred Karlin; Lyrics by Robb Royer (aka Robb Wilson) and James Griffin (aka Arthur James)
Notes: The Carpenters’ recording of the song from the film starring Gig Young, Bonnie Bedelia and Cloris Leachman peaked at No. 3 in March 1971 and returned to its peak position in April. Petula Clark sang the song on the Oscars on April 15, 1971. The Oscars had a rule at the time that only film stars could perform on the show. Since Clark had starred in Finian’s Rainbow and Goodbye, Mr. Chips, she got the plum assignment. The previous year’s winner, Burt Bacharach, and his wife, Angie Dickinson, Hollywood’s golden couple at the time, presented the award. Karlin thanked the Carpenters in his acceptance speech: “I also would like to thank two other very special friends, Karen and Richard Carpenter, for their very moving interpretation of ‘For All We Know.’”
From left: Gig Young, Bonnie Bedelia, Cloris Leachman
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“Theme from Shaft”
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive/GI 1971 (44th Oscars)
“Theme From Shaft” from Shaft
Music and Lyrics by Isaac Hayes
Notes: Hayes’ recording of this song which brought funk to the Oscar stage for the first time spent two weeks at No. 1 in November 1971. Hayes also performed the song on the Oscars on April 10, 1972. Joel Grey, co-star of the then-current hit Cabaret (which went on to win eight Oscars at the following year’s ceremony) presented the award to Hayes, who was the first Black songwriter to win best original song. Hayes thanked his grandmother – as another winner in the category would do 23 years later. “Most of all, I would like to thank a lady who’s here with me tonight, because years ago her prayers kept my feet, the path of righteousness, and that’s my grandmother.”
From left: Isaac Hayes, Joel Grey
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“The Morning After”
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection 1972 (45th Oscars)
“The Morning After” from The Poseidon Adventure
Music and Lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Notes: Maureen McGovern’s recording of the adult contemporary ballad from the film starring Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters spent two weeks at No. 1 in August 1973, five months after the Oscars. Entertainer Connie Stevens performed the song on the Oscars on March 27, 1973. Sonny & Cher, then starring in a hit weekly variety series, presented the award. Kasha and Hirschhorn won again two years later for “We May Never Love Like This Again” from another disaster picture, The Towering Inferno. McGovern was again enlisted to sing the song, but it didn’t become a hit.
From left: Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman
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“The Way We Were”
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 1973 (46th Oscars)
“The Way We Were” from The Way We Were
Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Notes: Barbra Streisand’s recording, an instant classic, spent three nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in February 1974. Another legend, Peggy Lee, performed the song on the Oscars on April 2, 1974. Burt Bacharach and Ann-Margret presented the award. This was Hamlisch’s third award of the night, following wins for best original dramatic score (also for The Way We Were) and best adaptation score for his work adapting Scott Joplin’s music in The Sting). In her acceptance speech, Marilyn Bergman saluted “Barbra Streisand, the best singer that any lyric writer could ever have singing their song.” Streisand was nominated for best actress for her role in the classic romantic drama, but lost to Glenda Jackson in A Touch of Class.
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“Evergreen”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1976 (49th Oscars)
“Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born)” from A Star Is Born
Music by Barbra Streisand; Lyrics by Paul Williams
Notes: Barbra Streisand’s recording spent three weeks at No. 1 in March 1977. Streisand performed the song on the Oscars on March 29, 1977, marking her first performance on the Oscar telecast. Neil Diamond presented the award to Williams and to Streisand, his soon-to-be duet partner, who said “In my wildest dreams I never, never could ever imagine winning an Academy Award for writing a song. I’m very honored and excited. Thank you all very much.” The diminutive Williams joked, “I was gonna thank all the little people and then I remembered I am the little people.”
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“You Light Up My Life”
Image Credit: Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Hulton Archive/GI 1977 (50th Oscars)
“You Light Up My Life” from You Light Up My Life
Music and Lyrics by Joseph Brooks
Notes: Debby Boone’s recording spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 from October to December 1977. It was the first song in Hot 100 history to spend 10 weeks on top. Boone sang the song on the Oscars on March 29, 1978. Because it was the 50th Oscars, the producers recruited a very special presenter, screen legend Fred Astaire (who had performed one of the greatest Oscar-winning songs, “The Way You Look Tonight,” in the 1936 film Swing Time). Astaire presented the award to Brooks, who not only wrote the song, but also wrote, directed, produced and scored the film.
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“Last Dance”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1978 (51st Oscars)
“Last Dance” from Thank God It’s Friday
Music and Lyrics by Paul Jabara
Notes: Donna Summer’s recording reached No. 3 in August 1978. The disco queen sang the song on the Oscars on April 9, 1979. The award was presented by Kris Kristofferson and screen legend Ruby Keeler. Jabara thanked the singer who made his hit immortal – “the beautiful, wonderful Donna Summer.” Giorgio Moroder, who co-produced Summer’s hits of the era (including “Last Dance”), won an Oscar that same night – best original score for Midnight Express.
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“Fame”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1980 (53rd Oscars)
“Fame” from Fame
Music by Michael Gore; Lyric by Dean Pitchford
Notes: Irena Cara’s exuberant recording reached No. 4 in September 1980. Cara sang the song on the Oscars on March 31, 1981. (The ceremony, originally set for March 30, was postponed one day because of the assassination attempt that day on President Reagan.) Luciano Pavarotti and Angie Dickinson presented the award. Gore, who also won best original score, thanked “Irene Cara, for a magnificent vocal performance.” Pitchford commented, “MGM’s had a history of bringing musicals to the screen and so I’m very grateful to be part of such an exciting musical that kind of feels like the ’80s.”
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“Arthur’s Theme”
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive/GI 1981 (54th Oscars)
“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from Arthur
Music and Lyric by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen
Notes: Christopher Cross’ recording spent three weeks at No. 1 in October 1981. Cross sang the song on the Oscars on March 29, 1982. Bette Midler presented the award with her signature wit. Allen would not be nominated under today’s stricter eligibility rules. He wasn’t part of the writing session, but Sager had reached back to an unpublished song she and Allen had worked on for the memorable line “Caught between the moon and New York City.” In his acceptance speech, Allen said: “I want to thank the air traffic controller who put me in a holding pattern for two hours above JFK, and I found myself like Arthur caught between the moon and New York City. Thank you.”
From left: Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross, Peter Allen
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“Up Where We Belong”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1982 (55th Oscars)
“Up Where We Belong” from An Officer and a Gentleman
Music by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyric by Will Jennings
Notes: Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes’ recording spent three weeks at No. 1 in November 1982. They also sang the song on the Oscars on April 11, 1983. Olivia Newton-John, who sang the Oscar-nominated “Hopelessly Devoted to You” on the Oscar telecast four years earlier, presented the award. Nitzsche and Sainte-Marie were married at the time.
From left: Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes
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“Flashdance…What a Feeling”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1983 (56th Oscars)
“Flashdance…What A Feeling” from Flashdance
Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara
Notes: Irene Cara’s recording logged six weeks at No. 1 from May to July 1983. Cara, joined by 44 boys and girls, sang the song on the Oscars on April 9, 1984. Jennifer Beals and Matthew Broderick presented the award to Forsey and Cara. (Moroder was a no-show.) Beals starred in Flashdance, a point noted by Cara in her acceptance speech: “It’s so wonderful to be receiving these, this most precious honor, from Jennifer Beals whose performance in the film made it that much more special for all of us.”
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“I Just Called to Say I Love You”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1984 (57th Oscars)
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” from The Woman in Red
Music and Lyric by Stevie Wonder
Notes: Wonder’s recording spent three weeks at No. 1 in October 1984. Diana Ross performed the song on the Oscars on March 25, 1985. Ross had been Oscar-nominated 12 years earlier for her lead role in Lady Sings the Blues. Actor/dancer Gregory Hines presented the award to Wonder, who said “I’d like to thank, first of all, Miss Dionne Warwick for allowing me this opportunity.” Warwick had been instrumental in Wonder being hired for the job.
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“Say You, Say Me”
Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/GI 1985 (58th Oscars)
“Say You, Say Me” from White Nights
Music and Lyric by Lionel Richie
Notes: Richie’s recording spent four weeks at No. 1 in December 1985 and January 1986. Richie performed the song on the Oscars on March 24, 1986. Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, stars of the 1952 film classic Singin’ in the Rain, presented the award. “Outrageous,” Richie said on receiving the award. “In the truest sense of the word I will say to you that this represents a dream come true.”
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“Take My Breath Away”
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/GI 1986 (59th Oscars)
“Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun
Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Tom Whitlock
Notes: Berlin’s evocative recording spent one week at No. 1 in September 1986. R&B stars Melba Moore and Lou Rawls performed the song on the Oscars on March 30, 1987. Bernadette Peters presented the award to Moroder and Whitlock.
From left, Tom Whitlock, Giorgio Moroder
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“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”
Image Credit: Bob Riha, Jr./GI 1987 (60th Oscars)
“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing
Music by Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz; Lyric by Franke Previte
Notes: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes’ recording from the classic film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey (daughter of Cabaret star Joel Grey) spent one week at No. 1 in November 1987. They performed the song on the Oscars on April 11, 1988. Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli, stars of the 1981 hit Arthur, presented the award. Franke Previte, the lead singer of Frankie & the Knockouts, which had a top 10 hit, “Sweetheart,” on the Hot 100 in 1981, thanked the man who was the driving force behind the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, which topped the Billboard 200 for 18 weeks: “Well, about a year and a half ago a gentleman called me up and told me that I should write a song for Dirty Dancing that would change my life. So I’d like to thank Jimmy Ienner for changing my life.”
From left: John DeNicola, Jennifer Grey, Donald Markowitz, Patrick Swayze, Frankie Previte
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“Beauty and the Beast”
Image Credit: Courtesy of A.M.P.A.S. 1991 (64th Oscars)
“Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Howard Ashman
Notes: Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson’s recording reached No. 9 in April 1992, after they performed the song on the Oscars on March 30, 1992 in tandem with Angela Lansbury, who sang the song in the film. Dion & Bryson’s pop recording was heard over the end credits. Oscar winners Shirley MacLaine and Liza Minnelli presented the award. Menken won a second award – best original score – on the night. Ashman had died of AIDS on March 14, 1991. His award was accepted by his partner Bill Lauch, who noted, “Howard and I shared a home and a life together and I’m very happy and very proud to accept this for him. But it is bittersweet. This is the first Academy Award given to someone we’ve lost to AIDS. In working on Beauty and the Beast Howard faced incredible personal challenges but always gave his best.”
From left: Peabo Bryson, Celine Dion, Angela Lansbury, and dancers Cynthia Gregory and Kevin Jeff
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“A Whole New World”
Image Credit: Paul Harris/GI 1992 (65th Oscars)
“A Whole New World” from Aladdin
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Tim Rice
Notes: Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s recording spent one week at No. 1 in March 1993. Brad Kane and Lea Salonga, who sang the song in the film, performed the song on the Oscars on March 29, 1993. For the second year in a row, Menken (pictured above wearing an AIDS ribbon) won two awards. He also took best original score. Lena Horne and Quincy Jones, who worked together on the cast album to Horne’s one-woman Broadway show, The Lady and Her Music, presented the award. Rice graciously saluted Ashman in his acceptance speech: “I’m extremely lucky to be standing in his shoes. I know he’d be here today if he were still alive.”
From left: Alan Menken, Tim Rice
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“Streets of Philadelphia”
Image Credit: Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/GI 1993 (66th Oscars)
“Streets of Philadelphia” from Philadelphia
Music and Lyric by Bruce Springsteen
Notes: Springsteen’s haunting recording reached No. 9 in April 1994. Springsteen sang the song on the Oscars on March 21, 1994. Whitney Houston presented the award to her fellow New Jersey icon Springsteen, who was as eloquent in his acceptance as he was in his song for the Jonathan Demme film about a gay attorney who was fired after he contracted AIDS: “You do your best work and you hope that it pulls out the best in your audience and some piece of it spills over into the real world and into people’s everyday lives, and it takes the edge off of fear and allows us to recognize each other through our veil of differences.”
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“Can You Feel The Love Tonight”
Image Credit: Dan Groshong/AFP/GI 1994 (67th Oscars)
“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King
Music by Elton John; Lyric by Tim Rice
Note: Elton’s recording reached No. 4 in August 1994. Elton also sang the song on the Oscars on March 27, 1995. Rocky and Rambo star Sylvester Stallone presented the award to Rice and John. John accepted the award in memory of a beloved relative: “I’d like to dedicate this award to my grandmother Ivy Sewell. She died last week, and she was the one that sat me down at the piano when I was three and made me play. So I’m accepting this in her honor.”
From left: Elton John, Tim Rice
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“Colors of the Wind”
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images 1995 (68th Oscars)
“Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas
Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
Vanessa Williams’ recording reached No. 4 in August 1995. Williams also sang the song on the Oscars on March 25, 1996. Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, the Oscar-nominated stars of the 1993 Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, presented the award. This was Menken’s fourth Oscar for best original song, which allowed him to tie the record for most wins in the history of the category. He didn’t mention the record in his acceptance speech, but he did thank both Williams and Judy Kuhn, who sang the song in the film. (Williams’ version appeared over the end credits.) Menken and Schwartz won a second award on the night – best original musical or comedy score.
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“My Heart Will Go On”
Image Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/GI 1997 (70th Oscars)
“My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic
Music by James Horner; Lyric by Will Jennings
Notes: Celine Dion’s recording spent two weeks at No. 1 in February and March 1998. It was the first Oscar-winning song to enter the Hot 100 at No. 1. Dion also performed the song on the Oscars on March 23, 1998. Madonna, who has introduced two Oscar-winning songs, presented the award. In accepting it, Horner thanked the film’s director for considering a song, when he had initially indicated he didn’t want a song in his film. “Jim Cameron, thank you for being in a good mood that day when I brought you the song.” Horner won a second award on the night – best original dramatic score.
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“Lose Yourself”
Image Credit: Craig Sjodin/GI 2002 (75th Oscars)
“Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile
Music by Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto; Lyric by Eminem
Notes: Eminem’s anthem spent 12 weeks at No. 1 from November 2002 to January 2003. That enabled it to top “You Light Up My Life” for the longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 by an Oscar-winning song. Barbra Streisand, a past winner in the category, presented the award to Resto. (Eminem and Bass were no-shows). In accepting the award, Resto said “It’s a great thing working with Marshall [Mathers] day in, day out. He’s creative. He has symphonies in his head that I’m privileged to put on the tape. He’s a good man, good heart. Here’s to you, Marshall.” Eminem declined to perform the song on the Oscar telecast on March 23, 2003, but he did finally perform the song on the Oscars on Feb. 9, 2020. Better late than never.
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“Skyfall”
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/GI 2012 (85th Oscars)
“Skyfall” from Skyfall
Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
Notes: Adele’s elegant recording debuted and peaked at No. 8 in October 2012. She also performed the song on the Oscars on Feb. 24, 2013. Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones, stars of the 2002 best picture, Chicago, presented the award. In accepting the award, Epworth saluted his superstar writing partner: “And most of all I’d like to thank Adele for being the best person I’ve ever worked with. She’s absolutely amazing.”
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“Let It Go”
Image Credit: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/GI 2013 (86th Oscars)
“Let It Go” from Frozen
Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Notes: Idina Menzel’s recording was, well, frozen at No. 5 for five consecutive weeks in April and May 2014. She also performed the song on the Oscars on March 2, 2014. While introducing the performance, John Travolta mispronounced Menzel’s name as “Adele Dazeem,” which made him the subject of much mockery in the media. At the following year’s Oscars, Menzel and Travolta appeared together as presenters, with Menzel introducing Travolta as “Glom Gozingo.” Jamie Foxx and Jessica Biel presented the award to the Lopezes. The field of nominees was especially competitive that year, including songs written by U2 and Pharrell Williams. The winners made note of that in their acceptance speeches. Anderson-Lopez said “And to our fellow nominees, you are all rock stars.” Anderson-Lopez and her husband delivered the punchline in unison: “Literally.”
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“Shallow”
Image Credit: Ed Herrera/GI 2018 (91st Oscars)
“Shallow” from A Star Is Born
Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt
Notes: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s recording reached No. 1 on March 9, 2019. They also performed the song on the Oscars on Feb. 24, 2019, getting cozy at the piano, as seen in the photo above. Constance Wu and Chadwick Boseman presented the award. “All the Stars” from Boseman’s film Black Panther was nominated, but everyone knew the award would go to “Shallow.” Gaga saluted her duet partner. “Bradley, there is not a single person on the planet that could have sang this song with me but you. Thank you for believing in us.”