Yahoo Lifestyle Oscars: Society Of Composers & Lyricists Asks AMPAS Board To Reinstate Best Song Performances
The Society of Composers & Lyricists, whose members include many of the industry’s top songwriters and film composers, has asked the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to reconsider its decision, announced the day before nominations were announced, of eliminating performances of the five nominated songs at this year’s Oscar ceremony.
As Deadline reported, the Academy is making changes to the show this year, some in direct response to the effect of the devastating L.A. wildfires, and also to find ways to honor the filmmakers in ways that single out their honored achievements. In a letter sent to members on January 22, AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer stated, “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,” the letter said. “And we will honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century. We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry. There is so much more in store, including powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future.”
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In a letter to the AMPAS board and producers of the 97th Academy Awards, SCL president Ashley Irwin said, “Our members, who number over 4,000 in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the majority of the Motion Picture Academy Music Branch, are disappointed over the decision to eliminate the
Oscar-nominated song performances at the 97th Academy Awards. Songwriters and composers face many challenges in the current climate, including everything from diminished royalty payments by streaming services to the theft of their intellectual property to enrich “big tech” in the guise of training for AI. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an award like the Oscar, has always served to amplify and honor the work of talented craftspeople, but this decision to exclude the song performances presents as just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators”
Read the letter in full below.
Although not every Oscar ceremony has included the Original Song performances, most have. AMPAS has said it is usually up to the producers of any given ceremony to make that decision. This year’s crop includes 16-time nominee Diane Warren, Oscar winner H.E.R., Elton John, and two high-profile songs from Emilia Pérez performed by Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña.
The decision was made before AMPAS producers knew which of the 14 finalists on the Oscar shortlist would end up with the five nominations.
Deadline has asked Academy for comment on the letter and will update if it receives one.
Below is the letter in full:
January 31, 2025
Dear AMPAS Governors and producers of the 97th Academy Awards,
I am the president of The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), the premier organization for professional songwriters and composers working in film and other visual media. All the Oscar-nominated songwriters this year, as in most years, are members of the SCL. Our members, who number over 4,000 in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the majority of the Motion Picture Academy Music Branch, are disappointed over the decision to eliminate the Oscar-nominated song performances at the 97th Academy Awards. Songwriters and composers face many challenges in the current climate, including everything from diminished royalty payments by streaming services to the theft of their intellectual property to enrich “big tech” in the guise of training for AI. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an award like the Oscar, has always served to amplify and honor the work of talented craftspeople, but this decision to exclude the song performances presents as just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators. What should be an opportunity to elevate our craft, by an Academy tasked to represent the importance of music to a motion picture’s storytelling, will be lost. A performance shares the creation of a songwriter’s original work. To eliminate the nominee performances is to silence songwriters.
We understand there are reasons behind this decision, but it is my understanding that there was no discussion with the Music Branch. The songs and performances this year would represent a diverse range of artists, including past Oscar winners H.E.R. and Elton John along with Brandi Carlile, Clément Ducol & Camille, Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander, as well as 16-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren. The promotion of these song performances will undoubtedly draw a larger viewing audience. But most importantly, in a time when Los Angeles, the home of filmmaking, has lost entire communities and with so many people affected, music has the power to inspire and heal – a message reflected in the Oscar-nominated songs…
The Journey from THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT
All the times you could’ve give in and you’d given up
Times you didn’t know if you were strong enough
Still you got through
It’s the journey
It’s the getting there to where you’re going to
Going through hell but still you’re gonna make it through
Never Too Late from ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE
Well, it’s never too late
For a wide-open slate
A kiss from a stranger
A thousand first dates
You’re an iron man baby
To hell with Heaven’s Gate
It’s not a moment too soon
If it’s never too
Never too late
Fly Like a Bird from SING SING
I pray
These broken bones will heal
Only if walls could talk
To tell you the pain I feel
That day
I’ll paint a thousand skies
Weight of the world aside
Just leave it all behind
Mi Camino [English lyrics] from EMILIA PÉREZ
I want to love myself
Love, yes, my life
Love, yes, what I feel
I want to love myself
Love myself fully
Love myself just as I am
With the quality of the talent assembled to produce The Oscars®, there must be a way to accommodate even abbreviated renditions of the nominated songs during the show. I respectfully urge you to reconsider your decision and let the songs provide the hope and inspiration to the audience that they do in their respective films.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Ashley Irwin
President of the Society of Composer & Lyricists
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