Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media facts for kids

The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media is a special prize given out at the Grammy Awards. It celebrates amazing songs created specifically for movies, TV shows, video games, or other visual stories. Imagine a song that perfectly fits a scene in your favorite film or TV series – this award honors the talented people who write those songs!

This award has had a few different names over the years. But its main purpose has always been to recognize the best original songs made for visual media.

Top Songwriters

Many talented songwriters have won this award multiple times. Their work has brought countless stories to life through music.

Disney's Musical Magic

Alan Menken is a big winner, with five awards for his work on classic Disney animated films. You might know his songs from The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. His music has helped define many beloved Disney characters and stories.

Pixar's Heartfelt Tunes

Another frequent winner is Randy Newman, who earned three awards for his songs in Disney-Pixar movies. His memorable tunes can be heard in films like Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Cars. Randy Newman's songs often capture deep emotions and funny moments.

A Prolific Nominee

Diane Warren has been nominated for this award more than anyone else, with 11 nominations! This shows how often her songs are chosen for visual media. She has won once, proving her lasting impact in the world of songwriting.

Memorable Award-Winning Songs

Instead of listing every single winner, let's look at some famous songs that have won this Grammy Award over the years. These songs became a big part of the movies and shows they were written for.

Early Winners (1980s-1990s)

• In 1988, "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tail won. It was written by James Horner, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil.
• Carly Simon won in 1990 for her song "Let the River Run" from the movie Working Girl.
• The beautiful song "Beauty and the Beast" from the Disney film of the same name won in 1993. It was written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.
• Bruce Springsteen's powerful song "Streets of Philadelphia" from the movie Philadelphia took home the award in 1995.
• In 1999, "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic won. This iconic song was written by James Horner and Will Jennings.

2000s and Beyond

• Madonna and William Orbit won in 2000 for "Beautiful Stranger" from Austin Powers: The Spy Who ....
• From the popular TV show Malcolm in the Middle, the theme song "Boss of Me" won in 2002. It was written by John Flansburgh and John Linnell.
• The inspiring song "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won in 2005. It was written by Annie Lennox, Howard Shore, and Fran Walsh.
• In 2010, "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire won, written by Gulzar, A. R. Rahman, and Tanvi Shah.
• The catchy "Let It Go" from Frozen won in 2015, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda won in 2018 for "How Far I'll Go" from Moana, and again in 2023 for "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto.
• Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell won in 2021 for "No Time to Die" from the James Bond film. They won again in 2024 for "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie. Billie Eilish is the youngest person to win this category.
• Most recently, in 2026, "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters received the award.

Award Milestones

Some songwriters have achieved impressive records for nominations and wins in this category.

Most Nominations

Multiple Wins

Award Name Changes

The name of this Grammy Award has changed a few times since it began:

• 1988–1999: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
• 2000–2011: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
• 2012–present: The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media

Images for kids

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  Two-time winner James Horner was the first recipient of the award alongside Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

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  Phil Collins won in 1989 with Lamont Dozier.

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  1990 award-winner Carly Simon.

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  Bryan Adams won alongside Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Michael Kamen in 1992

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  Five-time recipient Alan Menken was awarded for his work in numerous Disney films and is the first person to win this category for consecutive years, achieving the feat in 1993 and 1994.

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  Tim Rice won alongside Alan Menken in 1994.

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  1995 award-winner Bruce Springsteen.

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  Eleven-time nominee and 1997 winner Diane Warren.

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  1996 winner and four-time nominee Stephen Schwartz.

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  Madonna won in 2000 with William Orbit.

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  Three-time winner and seven-time nominee, Randy Newman.

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  Christopher Guest won with Levy and McKean in 2004.

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  Eugene Levy won with Guest and McKean in 2004.

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  Michael McKean won with Guest and Levy in 2004.

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  Alan Silvestri won in 2006.

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  Annie Lennox won in 2005 alongside Howard Shore and Fran Walsh.

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  Peter Gabriel won with Newman in 2009.

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  Thomas Newman won with Gabriel in 2009.

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  A. R. Rahman won in 2010 alongside Gulzar and Tanvi Shah.

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  T Bone Burnett received the award for 2011 and 2013.

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  Taylor Swift won in 2013 alongside The Civil Wars and T Bone Burnett.

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  Adele won in 2014 with Paul Epworth.

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  Husband and wife duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson Lopez won the award in 2015 and were nominated in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

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  Common won in 2016 with Rhymefest & John Legend.

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  John Legend won with Common in 2016.

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  Justin Timberlake won alongside Max Martin and Shellback in 2017.

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  Two-time winner Lady Gaga is the first woman to receive the award in consecutive years and the only person to win this category multiple times for the same media soundtrack, achieving the feat in 2019 and 2020.

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  Lin-Manuel Miranda won in 2018 and 2023.

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  Billie Eilish won in 2021 and 2024 alongside her brother, Finneas O'Connell, and is the youngest person to win this category.

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  Jon Batiste won with Dan Wilson in 2025.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Premio Grammy a la mejor canción escrita para medios visuales para niños