Oscars to Eliminate Best Original Song Performances From 2025 Ceremony

Bittersweet news for the yet-to-be-announced Best Original Song nominees at this year’s Oscars: The 2025 ceremony will do away with live performances from each contender.

In a letter sent to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ full membership on Wednesday (obtained by The Hollywood Reporter), the Academy stated its plans to “move away from live performances” for the Best Original Song category on this year’s broadcast, instead emphasizing the songwriters behind the nominated tunes.

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“We are thrilled to bring back our ‘Fab 5’ moments, where individual film artists recognize nominees,” read the letter, penned by Bill Kramer and Janet Yang, the Academy’s respective CEO and president. “Also, this year the Best Original Song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters. We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.”

This year’s telecast won’t be entirely without musical breaks, though, as the letter went on to tease “powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future.” Additionally, the ceremony will “honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience” amid the city’s devastating wildfires.

Live performances of the Best Original Song nominees have been a staple of the Oscars broadcasts since 1946, though it was initially more common for other performers — Frank Sinatra and Robert Goulet among them — to sing the songs, rather than their original artists. There have, however, been a handful of ceremonies that did not feature performances of the nominated songs, including the telecasts in 1989, 2010, 2012 and 2021.

Nominations for the 97th Oscars will be announced Thursday, Jan. 23, at 8:30 am/7:30c. The ceremony then airs Sunday, March 2, at 7 pm on ABC; comedian Conan O’Brien will host for the first time.

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