Cerermony - 2026 SCL Awards Nominations: Film, Television, and Game Music in the Spotlight

By Mulder, 17 december 2025

The announcement of the 2026 SCL Awards nominations once again confirms what those of us who closely follow film music already know: the Society of Composers & Lyricists has become one of the most reliable thermometers of the awards season, especially when it comes to predicting the musical conversation that will dominate the Academy Awards in the weeks to come. Revealed on December 17, 2025, the nominations highlight an impressive overlap with the recently unveiled 98th Oscars shortlists, underlining how deeply aligned the SCL’s musical sensibility is with the broader industry consensus. What immediately stands out this year is that all nominees for Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film are also shortlisted for the Oscar in the same category, with four of them additionally recognized by the Golden Globes, reinforcing the idea that the SCL Awards are no longer a niche guild event but a central pillar of awards-season legitimacy. Having followed the SCL’s evolution over the years, it’s striking to see how composers now openly reference these nominations as a meaningful career milestone rather than a simple precursor.

The 7th Annual SCL Awards ceremony will take place on February 6, 2026, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, a venue that feels particularly well suited to the spirit of the event—intimate, respectful of artistic heritage, and deeply rooted in creative dialogue. Hosting duties will be handled by Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon, performing together under their musical alter ego The Bacon Brothers, a pairing that perfectly embodies the SCL’s cross-disciplinary philosophy. The choice feels inspired rather than gimmicky, as Kevin Bacon’s long-standing connection to music and Michael Bacon’s Emmy-winning career as a composer bridge Hollywood visibility and musical credibility. Adding to the evening’s musical weight, a special performance by Melissa Manchester promises a moment of classic craftsmanship, reminding attendees that the SCL is as much about honoring legacy as it is about celebrating innovation.

One of the defining narratives of this year’s nominations is the overwhelming presence of Ludwig Göransson, whose work on Sinners earns him three nominations, including Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film and two nods for Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production with “I Lied to You” and “Last Time (I Seen the Sun).” Having witnessed Ludwig Göransson’s rise from indie collaborations to blockbuster dominance, this triple recognition feels less like a surprise and more like a logical culmination of a decade-long creative ascent. Equally noteworthy is the continued relevance of Stephen Schwartz, who also scores three nominations, including one shared with John Powell for Wicked: For Good, as well as two song nominations that reaffirm his uncanny ability to remain culturally current while working within the demanding framework of large-scale musical cinema.

The category for Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film reads like a masterclass syllabus in contemporary film composition, with nominees including Ludwig Göransson for Sinners, Alexandre Desplat for Frankenstein, Jonny Greenwood for One Battle After Another, Stephen Schwartz and John Powell for Wicked: For Good, Max Richter for Hamnet, and Jerskin Fendrix for Bugonia. Each name represents a distinct musical philosophy, from Alexandre Desplat’s elegant orchestral restraint to Jonny Greenwood’s experimental textures and Max Richter’s emotionally immersive minimalism. This lineup alone speaks volumes about the SCL’s commitment to diversity of voice rather than stylistic conformity.

On the independent side, the Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film category showcases composers whose work often operates under the radar but leaves lasting emotional imprints, including Dara Taylor for Straw, Bryce Dessner for Train Dreams, David Fleming for Eternity, Fabrizio Mancinelli for Out of the Nest, Jónsi and Alex Sommers for Rental Family, and Sara Barone alongside Robert Christenson for To Kill a Wolf. It’s always refreshing to see how this category highlights voices that experiment more freely, often without the commercial constraints of studio filmmaking, a reminder of why independent cinema remains such fertile ground for musical risk-taking.

The song categories further reinforce the SCL’s role as a tastemaker. In Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production, perennial nominee Diane Warren continues her remarkable streak with “Dear Me” from Relentless, marking yet another year in which her presence feels almost ritualistic. Her previous wins for “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight and “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman only add weight to her inclusion. Alongside her are standout collaborations such as Alice Smith, Miles Caton, and Ludwig Göransson for “Last Time (I Seen the Sun),” Raphael Saadiq with Ludwig Göransson for “I Lied to You,” Sara Bareilles for “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet,” Nikhil Koparkar and Rammy Park for “The Hills of Tanchico,” and Ed Sheeran, Blake Slatkin, and John Mayer for “Drive” from F1, a particularly high-profile crossover between pop and cinematic storytelling.

Equally eclectic is the Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical Visual Media Production category, where Stephen Schwartz once again dominates with two nominations from Wicked: For Good, joined by unexpected crowd-pleasers like Jack Black and Jared Hess for “Steve’s Lava Chicken,” and Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Jack Black for “I Feel Alive” from A Minecraft Movie. The inclusion of Blake Slatkin, Shakira, and Ed Sheeran for “Zoo” from Zootopia 2 reflects the increasingly global and genre-fluid nature of contemporary film music.

Beyond the nominations, the emotional core of this year’s SCL Awards lies in the presentation of the Spirit of Collaboration Award to Ludwig Göransson and Ryan Coogler, a partnership that has defined a generation of modern cinema. From Fruitvale Station to Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and now Sinners, their creative synergy exemplifies what can happen when director and composer grow together over time. In an industry often driven by short-term collaborations, their sustained artistic dialogue feels both rare and deeply inspiring. Following last year’s honor bestowed upon Harry Gregson-Williams for his work with Ridley Scott, this award continues to underline the SCL’s belief that music is not an accessory to storytelling but a foundational narrative force.

As voting opens on January 19, 2026, and closes on January 26, 2026, the 2026 SCL Awards once again position themselves as a meaningful crossroads between artistic recognition and industry momentum. For those of us who have watched film music evolve from the shadows of post-production into the spotlight of cultural discourse, this year’s nominations feel particularly resonant. They don’t just celebrate excellence; they map the current state of cinematic music with clarity, ambition, and genuine respect for the craft, reminding us why the Society of Composers & Lyricists remains such an essential voice within the industry.

SCL Awards nominees and winners are judged and determined solely by SCL member composers and songwriters. Final voting will open on January 19, 2026 and close on January 26, 2026 : 

Outstanding original score for a studio film
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein
Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another
Stephen Schwartz & John Powell – Wicked: For Good
Max Richter – Hamnet
Jerskin Fendrix – Bugonia

Outstanding original score for an independent film
Dara Taylor – Straw
Bryce Dessner – Train Dreams
David Fleming – Eternity
Fabrizio Mancinelli – Out of the Nest
Jónsi & Alex Sommers – Rental Family
Sara Barone & Robert Christenson – To Kill a Wolf

Outstanding original song for a dramatic or documentary visual media production
Diane Warren – “Dear Me” from Relentless
Alice Smith, Miles Caton & Ludwig Göransson – “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” from Sinners
Raphael Saadiq & Ludwig Göransson – “I Lied to You” from Sinners
Sara Bareilles – “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Come See Me in the Good Light
Nikhil Koparkar & Rammy Park – “The Hills of Tanchico” from The Wheel of Time
Ed Sheeran, Blake Slatkin & John Mayer – “Drive” from F1

Outstanding original song for a comedy or musical visual media production
Ejae & Mark Sonnenblick – “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
Stephen Schwartz – “No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good
Stephen Schwartz – “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good
Jack Black & Jared Hess – “Steve’s Lava Chicken” from A Minecraft Movie
Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt & Jack Black – “I Feel Alive” from A Minecraft Movie
Blake Slatkin, Shakira & Ed Sheeran – “Zoo” from Zootopia 2

Outstanding original title sequence for a television production
Cristobal Tapia de Veer – The White Lotus
Carlos Rafael Rivera – Dept. Q
Dave Porter – Pluribus
Sean Callery – The Beast in Me
Amanda Jones – Murderbot
Jeff Beal – All Her Fault

Outstanding original score for a television production
Theodore Shapiro – Severance
Antonio Sánchez – The Studio
Brandon Roberts – Andor
Dave Porter – Pluribus
Cristobal Tapia de Veer – The White Lotus
David Fleming & Gustavo Santaolalla – The Last of Us

Outstanding original score for interactive media
Austin Wintory – Sword of the Sea
Gordy Haab – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of the Giants
Wilbert Roget II, Cody Matthew Johnson & Jon Everist – Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune
Maclaine Deimer – Wildgate

David Raksin Award for emerging talent
Cameron Moody – Washington Black
Chin-Shan Chang – Laws of Man
Raashi Kulkarni – A Nice Indian Boy
Greg Nicolett – Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches
Freya Berkhout – Ride or Die
Sara Trevino – The Map That Leads You

(Source : press release)