The 31st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards delivered significant victories in its music categories on Sunday night, with the infectious “Golden” from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ claiming best song honors and Ludwig Göransson’s haunting score for ‘Sinners’ taking best score at Barker Hangar.
Both wins position these works as serious Oscar contenders, having already secured Golden Globe nominations ahead of the January 11 ceremony. The victories carry particular weight given the Critics’ Choice Awards’ strong predictive record: since 2020, four of six score winners and four of seven song winners have gone on to claim Academy Awards.
The win marks a milestone for “Golden,” which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks last year. The track becomes only the second former chart-topper in a decade to win at the Critics’ Choice Awards, following Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” from “Furious 7” in 2015.
Accepting the award, co-writer EJAE delivered an emotional speech connecting the song to her character’s journey. “While writing the song, I found myself living vicariously through my character Rumi,” she explained. “Her life and journey in the movie felt deeply familiar to me. The song needed to be an expression of hope to convince herself that she could write and reach for her dreams.”
Co-writer Mark Sonnenblick thanked fans who “blast and scream/sing the song in the car,” acknowledging the grassroots enthusiasm that propelled the film’s success.
Should “Golden” triumph at the Academy Awards on March 2, it would set a precedent. The song’s five credited writers—EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy—would mark the most collaborative winning song in Oscar history. Due to Academy rules capping statuettes at four per category, the quintet has agreed to share a single trophy.
Ludwig Göransson’s “Sinners” score represents his second Critics’ Choice Award in three years, following his 2023 win for “Oppenheimer.” This achievement places him alongside Justin Hurwitz, who won for “La La Land” (2016) and “First Man” (2018), as the only composers to secure multiple wins in such a compressed timeframe.
The Swedish composer’s atmospheric work for Ryan Coogler’s period thriller has been praised for its innovative blend of traditional orchestration and contemporary sonic textures.
With Oscar nominations scheduled for January 22, both “Golden” and Göransson’s score are positioned prominently on shortlists. The Critics’ Choice wins provide crucial momentum entering the final stretch of awards season, though neither victory guarantees Academy recognition.
The music categories proved among the most competitive of the evening. “Golden” bested formidable competition, including Ed Sheeran and John Mayer’s “Drive” from “F1” and Stephen Schwartz’s “The Girl in the Bubble” from “Wicked: For Good.” Göransson edged out industry titans Hans Zimmer (F1), Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein), and Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood (One Battle After Another).
The evening, hosted by Chelsea Handler for the fourth consecutive year and broadcast live on E! and USA Network, saw Frankenstein and Sinners lead film categories with four wins each, while One Battle After Another claimed best picture. On television, Adolescence topped all series with four victories.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Critics’ Choice Awards’ music categories have spoken, and the winners carry serious Oscar weight. “Golden” from K-pop Demon Hunters made history as the first chart-topping hit in a decade to win, while Ludwig Göransson secured his second score victory in three years for Sinners.
What matters most: Since 2020, four of six Critics’ Choice score winners and four of seven song winners have gone on to claim Academy Awards. With both already Globe-nominated and Oscar-shortlisted, Sunday’s wins provide crucial momentum heading into the January 22 Oscar nominations announcement.
If “Golden” wins at the Academy Awards, its five credited writers would make history, sharing one statuette under Oscar rules—the most collaborative winning song ever. These victories signal where the music race is heading as awards season enters its final, decisive phase.
