We won’t know if Charli xcx will receive an Oscar nomination for her songs from Emerald Fennell’s film Wuthering Heights until the nods are announced on Jan. 21, but Charli is vying in that category at the 2026 World Soundtrack Awards.
Film Fest Gent and the World Soundtrack Academy revealed the first wave of nominations for the World Soundtrack Awards on Wednesday (Aug. 5).
“House,” which Charli cowrote with John Cale, Nathan Klein and Finn Keane, is competing with four songs from 2025 films: “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, which won the Oscar for best original song in March; “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams, which was nominated in that category; “No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good, which was shortlisted but not nominated; and “Stolen Tale” from Hedda, which wasn’t shortlisted.
Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir is double nominated at the World Soundtrack Awards. She’s vying for best original song for the aforementioned song from Hedda and film composer of the year for her work on The Bridge!, Hedda and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
The other nominees for film composer of the year include Alexandre Desplat (Frankenstein), Jonny Greenwood (One Battle After Another) and Max Richter (Hamnet), all of whom were nominated for Oscars for best original score in March, and Daniel Pemberton, who has yet to be Oscar-nominated for best original score (though he was nominated for best original song for cowriting “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7).
The second wave of nominations — in the categories discovery of the year, public choice award, game music award and Belgian film composer of the year — will be announced on Sept. 3.
The 26th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert is set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent during Film Fest Gent, Belgium’s biggest international film festival.
Film composer of the year
Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein; Eagles of the Republic; Jurassic World Rebirth; L’homme qui rétrécit (The Shrinking Man)
Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another
Hildur Guðnadóttir – The Bride!; Hedda; 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Daniel Pemberton – Project Hail Mary; The Drama; The Bad Guys 2; Masters of the Universe
Max Richter – Hamnet
Television composer of the year
David Fleming – Widow’s Bay
Finneas O’Connell – Beef (season two)
Martin Phipps, Benji Merrison – Steal
Dave Porter – Pluribus
Jeff Russo – Alien: Earth; Cape Fear; Citadel (season two)
Best original song
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters – written by Kim Eun-jae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Teddy Park | performed by Huntrix
“House” from Wuthering Heights – written by Charli xcx, John Cale, Nathan Klein, Finn Keane | performed by Charli xcx, John Cale
“No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good – written by Stephen Schwartz | performed by Cynthia Erivo
“Stolen Tale” from Hedda – written by Hildur Guðnadóttir, Nia DaCosta | performed by Mariam Wallentin
“Train Dreams” from Train Dreams – written by Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner | performed by Nick Cave
Lifetime achievement award
Trevor Jones
Best original composition by a young composer
Xabier Doural García
Lidia Pozo Perez
Yeakun Yoo
