Billie Eilish and FINNEAS’ “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie won song – feature film at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, which were presented Wednesday night (Nov. 15) at The Avalon in Los Angeles.
The hypnotic “What Was I Made For?” (written by Eilish and her brother FINNEAS) beat out another song from Barbie, the comic “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt). Atlantic’s soundtrack album from the film also won the soundtrack award.
The late Robbie Robertson won score – feature film for his score for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Robertson died in August at age 80. This was the 11th and final collaboration between Scorsese and Robertson; the film is dedicated to the Canadian rock music legend.
Women co-wrote five of the six songs that won in various film categories. And women composers took two of the seven film score awards. Laura Karpman won score – sci-fi / fantasy film for The Marvels; Hildur Guđnadóttir won score – horror/thriller film for A Haunting in Venice. In addition, Mica Levi, who identifies as non-binary, won score – independent film for The Zone of Interest.
Angela Leus won music supervision in a film for Trolls Band Together.
The show included performances by nominees OK Go, Diane Warren and Marc Shaiman. Shaiman, a Grammy, Emmy and Tony winner, received an outstanding career achievement award.
Presenters included Taura Stinson, Marie Kingsley, Heather Mcintosh, Julia Michaels, Allyson Newman, Mychael Danna, Mike Stoller and the celebrated team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
The HMMAs are often seen as a bellwether for the Oscars. Past HMMA winners who have gone on to win Oscars include Eilish and Finneas for the title song from No Time to Die; Hans Zimmer for Dune; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste for Soul; Hildur Guðnadóttir for Joker; Ludwig Göransson for Black Panther; and Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water; plus songs from Judas & the Black Messiah, La La Land, A Star Is Born and others.
Unlike the Oscars, which have just one category each for songs and scores, the HMMAs have six categories for film songs and seven for scores.
The most intriguing and inspired HMMA category is song – onscreen performance, which honors the performer who performed the song onscreen in the film. Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan and Jack Reynor won for performing “High Life” in Flora and Son.
In the HMMAs’ newest category, best song – sci-fi/fantasy, Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro won for co-writing “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
For those looking forward to that other award, Oscar shortlists of 15 top contenders for best original song and best original score will be announced on Dec. 21. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 23, 2024. The awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.
For a complete list of winners in all categories, visit this page on the HMMA site.
Here are the nominees in the film categories.
SONG AWARDS
Song – feature film
“I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Performed by Ryan Gosling (featuring Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen)
WINNER: “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Written by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell. Performed by Billie Eilish.
“The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. Written by Diane Warren. Performed by Becky G.
“High Life” From Flora and Son. Written by Gary Clark, John Carney, Eve Hewson. Performed by Eve Hewson, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
“I Am” From Origin. Written by Stan Walker, Michael Fatkin, Vince Harder, Te Kanapu Anasta. Performed by Stan Walker.
“Road to Freedom” from Rustin. Written and performed by Lenny Kravitz.
“This” From The Beanie Bubble. Written by Damian Kulash, Jr. and Timothy Nordwind. Performed by OK Go.
“Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple. Written by Halle Bailey, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, and Morten Ristorp. Performed by Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.
Song – animated film
“Steal the Show” from Elemental. Written by Ari Leff, Michael Matosic, Thomas Newman. Performed by Lauv.
“Down Like That” from Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Written by Bryson Tiller, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga, and Charlie Heath. Performed by Bryson Tiller.
“Am I Dreaming” from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Written by Mike Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Rakim Mayers, Roisee, Landon Wayne and Leland Wayne. Performed by A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin and Roisee.
WINNER: “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together. Written by Shellback, Justin Timberlake, Amy Allen. Performed by *NSYNC.
“Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Written by Jack Black, John Spiker, Eric Osmond, Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath. Performed by Jack Black.
“This Wish” from Wish. Written by Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe. Performed by Ariana DeBose.
Song – sci-fi / fantasy
“A World of Your Own” from Wonka. Music written by Neil Hannon, Lyrics by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet
WINNER: “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Written by Dan Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo. Performed by Olivia Rodrigo.
“For The First Time” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Halle Bailey
“Wild Uncharted Waters” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Jonah Hauer-King
“You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This” from Wonka. Written by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet & Cast.
Song – independent film
“Stardust” from A Good Person. Written by Cary Brothers & Scott Effman. Performed By Cary Brothers.
WINNER: “I Got You” from Holiday Twist. Written by Michael Jay and Alan Demoss. Performed by Jake Miller
“Space and Time” from Master Gardener. Written by S.G. Goodman, Performed by Mereba
“Quiet Eyes” from Past Lives. Written by Sharon Van Etten and Zachary Dawes. Performed by Sharon Van Etten.
“El Saber” from Radical. Written and performed by Gaby Moreno.
“Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” from Sons 2 The Grave. Written by Sean Jones, Michael Shand, Miku Graham. Performed by Sean Jones.
Song – onscreen performance
WINNER: Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor – “High Life” from Flora and Son
Halle Bailey – “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid
Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mapsi – “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple
Megan Thee Stallion – “Out Alpha The Alpha” from Dicks: The Musical
NSync – “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together
Oil Factory feat. Chlöe, Jekalyn Carr, Loren Lott – “Praise Nationals Finale” from Praise This
Ryan Gosling – “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie
Timothée Chalamet – “A World of Your Own” from Wonka
Song – documentary film
“Everything Is Gonna Be Alright” from Bobi Wine: The People’s President. Written and performed by Bobi Wine
“Forty Foot Man” from Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming With Dave Letterman. Written and performed by Bono and The Edge.
“Speechless” from Louder Than Rock. Written by Israel Houghton and Adam Ranney. Performed by Caleb Quaye and Judith Hill.
“Dream Your Little Dream” from The Jewel Thief. Written by Dan Braun and Josh Braun. Performed by The Braun Brothers.
WINNER: “Todo Fue Por Amor” from With This Light. Written by Carla Morrison, Carla Patricia Morrison Flores, Juan Alejandro Jimenez Perez, Mario Demian Jimenez Perez. Performed by Carla Morrison.
SCORE AWARDS
Score – feature film
American Fiction – Laura Karpman
Chevalier – Kris Bowers
WINNER: Killers of the Flower Moon – Robbie Robertson
Nyad – Alexandre Desplat
Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson
Rustin – Branford Marsalis
Saltburn – Anthony Willis, Music By
The Killer – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Score – animated film
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Harry Gregson-Williams
Elemental – Thomas Newman
Migration – John Powell
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken – Stephanie Economou
WINNER: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Brian Tyler
Score – sci-fi / fantasy film
Asteroid City – Alexandre Desplat
Barbie – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
The Creator – Hans Zimmer
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – James Newton Howard
WINNER: The Marvels – Laura Karpman
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps
Score – horror/thriller film
WINNER: A Haunting in Venice – Hildur Guđnadóttir
Deliver Us – Tóti Guðnason
Knock at the Cabin – Herdís Stefánsdóttir
M3gan – Anthony Willis
The Boogeyman – Patrick Jonsson
The Exorcist: Believer – David Wingo, Amman Abbasi
Score – documentary
Kangaroo Valley – H. Scott Salinas and Logan Stahley
Split at the Root – Lili Haydn
WINNER: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – John Powell
The Deepest Breath – Nainita Desai
The Pigeon Tunnel – Philip Glass and Paul Leonard-Morgan
Score – independent film
Dalíland – Edmund Butt
Dream Scenario – Owen Pallett
Jules – Volker Bertelmann
Miranda’s Victim – Holly Amber Church
She Came to Me – Bryce Dessner
WINNER: The Zone of Interest – Mica Levi
Score – independent film (foreign language)
WINNER: Society of the Snow – Michael Giacchino
Control – Taisuke Kimura
Last Wishes – Carla F. Benedicto
Los Reyes Magos: La Verdad – Arturo Cardelús
Paradice – Sandrine Rudaz
The Promised Land – Dan Romer
OTHER FILM AWARDS
Music themed film, biopic or musical
Carmen – Produced by Rosemary Blight, Dimitri Rassam and Mimi Valdes. Directed by Benjamin Millepied.
The Little Mermaid – Produced by John Deluca, Rob Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Platt. Directed by Rob Marshall.
Theater Camp – Produced by Jessica Elbaum, Erik Feig, Will Ferrell and Noah Galvin. Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman.
WINNER: Trolls Band Together – Produced by Gina Shay. Directed by Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz.
Wonka – Produced by Alexandra Derbyshire, David Heyman and Luke Kelly. Directed by Paul King.
Music documentary – special program
Dear Mama: “Panther Power” – Directed by Allen Hughes. Produced by Joshua Garcia, Loren Gomez, Quincy Jones III, Stef Smith.
WINNER: Immediate Family – Directed by Denny Tedesco. Produced by Greg Richling, Jack Piatt, Jonathan Sheldon.
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop – Directed by Hannah Beachler, Dream Hampton, Raeshem Nijhon. Produced by Shawna Carroll, Syreeta Gates, Cherice Hunt, Janice James, Princess A. Hairston.
Little Richard: I Am Everything – Directed by Lisa Cortés. Produced by Robert Friedman, Lisa Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh, Caryn Capotosto.
San Francisco Sounds: A Place in Time – Directed by Alison Ellwood & Anoosh Tertzakian. Produced by Michael Wright, Jill Burkhart, Mark Pinkus, Charlie Cohen, Tom Mackay, Richard Story, Jeff Jampol, Aly Parker, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall, Alison Ellwood.
Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah – Directed by Patty Ivins Specht. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rea, Wynonna Judd, Cactus Moser, Jason Owen, Bruce Gillmer, Margaret Comeaux, Leslie Fram, Patty Ivins Specht; Producer: Cassie Lambert Scalettar.
Music supervision – film
Air – Andrea Von Foerster
Fast X – Rachel Levy
Immediate Family – Mason Cooper
Love to Love You, Donna Summer – Tracy McKnight
Trap Jazz – Tamar Davis
WINNER: Trolls Band Together – Angela Leus
Soundtrack album
WINNER: Barbie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Atlantic Records
Creed III (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Dreamville / Interscope Records
Fast X (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Artist Partner Group
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Hollywood Records
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Boominati Worldwide and Republic Records
Trolls Band Together (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – RCA Records