This article is about the American songwriter. For the Canadian author, see Dianne Warren. For the American politician born Diane Lynn Warren, see Diane Black.
Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956)[2][1] is an American songwriter. She has won an Academy Honorary Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three consecutive Billboard Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year from 1997 to 1999. She first gained recognition for her work on DeBarge's 1985 single "Rhythm of the Night". By the late 1980s, she joined the record label EMI, where she became the first songwriter in the history of Billboard magazine to have written seven hit songs, each recorded by different artists, on the charts at the same time, prompting EMI's UK Chairman Peter Reichardt to call her "the most important songwriter in the world". Warren has received 17 nominations for Academy Awards, the most of any individual without a win.[3][4] She received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November 2022.[5]
Warren has written nine number-one songs and 33 top-10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 including "If I Could Turn Back Time" (Cher, 1989), "Look Away" (Chicago, 1988), "Because You Loved Me" (Celine Dion, 1996), "How Do I Live" (LeAnn Rimes, 1997), "When I See You Smile" (Bad English, 1989), and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (Aerosmith, 1998). She has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has been rated the third most successful female artist in the UK, leading her to win the Ivor Novello Award and Special International Award in 2008.
Warren founded the publishing company Realsongs, through which she holds the masters of her work. Her debut studio album was released on August 27, 2021.[6]
Early life
Warren, the youngest of three daughters, was born to David, an insurance salesman, and Flora Warren,[7] in the Los Angeles community of Van Nuys,[8] where she said she felt misunderstood and "alienated" as a child growing up.[9] Her family's surname "Warren" was originally "Wolfberg", but her father changed the name because he wanted it to sound less Jewish.[10] Warren says she was rebellious as a child[9] and told NPR's Scott Simon that she got into trouble and ran away as a teen but returned because she missed her cat.
As a child, Warren loved listening to music and dreamed of performing on the radio herself.[10] She was also influenced by music her parents and her sisters would play.[11] She began writing music when she was 11 but took a more serious approach at 14, commenting "music saved me."[10][12] Warren has said that her mother asked her to give up her dream of a songwriting career[13] and take a secretarial job. Her father continued to believe in her and encouraged her. In addition, he bought her a 12-string guitar and a metal shed for her to practice and took her to music auditions.[2] She wrote Celine Dion's 1996 song "Because You Loved Me" as a tribute to her father for his encouragement.[14]
She attended Los Angeles Pierce College and graduated from California State University, Northridge in 1978, but largely considered her education a waste as she focused most of her time on improving her songwriting skills instead of on her education.[10][15][16]
On the February 12, 2016, edition of All Things Considered, Warren said that she had been molested at age 12 and had later experienced sexual harassment and assault by a sound engineer during her working career.[17]
Career
Warren's first hit was "Solitaire",[8] which Laura Branigan took to No. 7 in the US pop charts in 1983.[9]
She's actually more like the Emily Dickinson of Pop. As in the case of the great nineteenth-century reclusive New England poet known for her simple yet eloquent verses, Warren leads a life focused almost entirely on her art.
— Alanna Nash, Good Housekeeping, 1998
The original name for her publishing company, Realsongs, was "Warren Piece" because "War and Peace" was already taken.[18] In 1998, Realsongs and its international partner, EMI Music Publishing, distributed A Passion For Music, a six-CD box set showcasing her music. EMI Music's London office assisted in distributing 1,200 copies of the box set primarily to the film and television industry for consideration in soundtracks and other commercial endeavors. It was not marketed to consumers.[19] As of 2011[update], Warren's music has appeared in the soundtracks of over sixty films. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[20] in 2001.[21]
The Diane Warren Foundation, in conjunction with the ASCAP Foundation and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation created a joint initiative, beginning in 2000, called Music in the Schools. The initiative provides sheet music, band arrangements, folios, and method books to each of the schools that are already recipients of musical instruments from the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.[22]
In 2004, Warren released a compilation album of love songs, Diane Warren Presents Love Songs, which includes several of her hits.
Warren wrote three songs for Carrie Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts (2005) that were "Lessons Learned", "Whenever You Remember" and the title track, originally written for Marshall Crenshaw.
In 2009, Warren co-wrote the United Kingdom's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest with Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song "It's My Time"[23] was sung by Jade Ewen and achieved 5th place, the best for the UK since 2002.[24]
In 2010, Warren partnered with Avon Products as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices,[25] Avon's global online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women. For the contest, Warren wrote a special anthem which was recorded by the finalists and produced by Humberto Gatica.[26] Warren has been recognized six times as ASCAP Songwriter of the Year and four times as Billboard's Songwriter of the Year.[27]
In 2012, Warren wrote the song "Counterfeit" for Tulisa's debut solo album The Female Boss.
Warren wrote Paloma Faith's 2014 song "Only Love Can Hurt Like This".[28]
Warren's success in the US has been paralleled in the UK, where she has been rated the third most successful female artist.[29] Peter Reichardt, former chairman of EMI Music Publishing UK, credited her as "the most important songwriter in the world."[30]
Warren is the first songwriter in the history of Billboard magazine to have seven hits, all by different artists, on the singles chart at the same time. Warren has had nine of her compositions hit No. 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, all by different artists, and overall 33 of her songs have hit the US top ten.[31] Additionally, two of the top 13 hits in the Hot 100's 57-year history were written by her - "How Do I Live" (number four) and "Un-Break My Heart" (number 13).[32] She has had even more success on the US Adult Contemporary charts, where sixteen of her songs have gone to No. 1, and overall more than 40 songs have hit the top ten on that chart. Warren has had three No. 1 hits in the UK and more than 20 top ten hits. She has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[33]
Warren's debut studio album, Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Vol. 1, was released on August 27, 2021, via Di-Namic Records and BMG.[34] Its first single, "Times like This" with Darius Rucker, was released on November 10, 2020.[35] The second single, "She's Fire" with G-Eazy and Carlos Santana, was released on July 13, 2021.[36][37] The single "Seaside" with Rita Ora, Sofía Reyes, and Reik was released on the same day as the album.[38]
In October 2023, "Say Don't Go", a song Warren wrote with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in 2013, was released as part of Swift's album 1989 (Taylor's Version).[39][40] Debuting at number 5, the song marked the first time a song written by Warren hit the top ten of the US Hot 100 in 22 years.[31]
The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the film 80 for Brady was released January 20, 2023. The song was written by her and performed by Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, and Gloria Estefan. The official music video shows Parton, Carlisle, Lauper, and Estefan performing while wearing football jerseys similar to the ones worn by the women in the film, interspersed with clips from the film.[41]
Personal life
Warren has never married,[42] and does not think of herself as a person of commitment. In interviews, she has said that she believes that her lack of a romantic life makes her more peculiar as a songwriter.[10] She was in a relationship with songwriter and record producer Guy Roche[43] that ended in 1992[10] and claims she has not had another relationship since, commenting "I've never been in love like in my songs. I'm not like normal people. I'm no good at relationships. I draw drama to me—it's the Jew in me".[44] Warren considers herself to be cynical regarding romance, but she does not let this affect her songwriting[10] and prefers to write alone rather than co-writing, commenting "When I write with other people, the experience is different. You have to compromise, which I have problems with. I'd rather listen to my own mind".[16]
In a 2000 interview, Warren explained that she never let go of music despite experiencing rejections, depression and poverty. In 1994, Warren's house was damaged by the Northridge earthquake, causing her to be miserable and homeless, drifting from hotels to rental houses.[10] She lost another home in 2025 when it burned down during the Southern California wildfires.[45] She has said that therapy helped her with songwriting.[10] She has also revealed that she works 12–16 hours a day, always takes her keyboard whenever she travels[18] and is "...more crazy and intense than I was at 20..."[7]
Warren has been committed to animal welfare and plant-based living for decades. She was a vegetarian for 25 years and later adopted a largely vegan diet, citing ethical concerns about eating animals.[46] She keeps numerous rescued animals at her Malibu ranch, including goats, pigs, donkeys, horses, and chickens, and is active in animal rescue and advocacy efforts. In 2021, she arranged for an escaped cow to be transferred to Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit animal protection organization in Acton, California.[47]
Warren does not usually allow anyone into her Hollywood Hills office,[10] which she describes as a "cluttered, airless room". In 2012, Warren said that nothing in her office had been cleaned or moved for 17 years because she is superstitious; she prefers to think of that room as her "secret world".[7] In that room, Warren records melodies with a tape recorder on which she plays them again and chooses the songs she likes the most.[7] Warren did allow part of a 2016 interview with CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Ben Tracy to be taped in the office.[48]
Warren said she is autistic and believes being neurodivergent has made her a better songwriter.[49]
Legacy
A jukebox musical is planned to be written by Joe DiPietro and directed by Kathleen Marshall, titled Obsessed, The Story of Diane Warren...so far. Warren has composed nine No. 1 and 33 top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in a career spanning 40 years.[31][50]
Awards and nominations
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Diane Warren
Discography (as artist)
Studio albums
Title
Details
Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Vol. 1
Released: August 27, 2021
Label: BMG
Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Compilation albums
Title
Details
Diane Warren Presents Love Songs
Released: 2004
Label: Warner Strategic Marketing
Format: CD
Singles
List of singles, showing year released
Title
Year
Album
"(We All Are) Looking for Home" (with Leona Lewis)
2016
Non-album single
"Times like This" (with Darius Rucker)
2020
Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Vol. 1
"She's Fire" (with G-Eazy and Carlos Santana)
2021
"Seaside"[51] (with Rita Ora, Sofía Reyes, and Reik)
^
Arianne Cohen (October 9, 2006). "I Belong to Me". Nerve.com. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
^
Palanker, Louise (March 28, 2018). "Diane Warren Eric Carmen". Retrieved July 10, 2023. some sort of function somewhere with Diane Warren where she brought her parrot. In the photo are Guy Roche, Doreen Dorian and Eric Carmen. — with Maria Vidal, Michael Anthony Rodriguez, Diane Warren, Guy Roche and Jimmy Reed.
The March of Time / W. Howard Greene and Harold Rosson (1936)
Edgar Bergen / W. Howard Greene / Museum of Modern Art Film Library / Mack Sennett (1937)
J. Arthur Ball / Walt Disney / Deanna Durbin and Mickey Rooney / Gordon Jennings, Jan Domela, Devereaux Jennings, Irmin Roberts, Art Smith, Farciot Edouart, Loyal Griggs, Loren L. Ryder, Harry D. Mills, Louis Mesenkop, Walter Oberst / Oliver T. Marsh and Allen Davey / Harry Warner (1938)
Douglas Fairbanks / Judy Garland / William Cameron Menzies / Motion Picture Relief Fund (Jean Hersholt, Ralph Morgan, Ralph Block, Conrad Nagel) / Technicolor SA (1939)
Bob Hope / Nathan Levinson (1940)
Walt Disney, William Garity, John N. A. Hawkins, and the RCA Manufacturing Company / Leopold Stokowski and his associates / Rey Scott / British Ministry of Information (1941)
Charles Boyer / Noël Coward / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1942)
George Pal (1943)
Bob Hope / Margaret O'Brien (1944)
Republic Studio, Daniel J. Bloomberg, and the Republic Studio Sound Department / Walter Wanger / The House I Live In / Peggy Ann Garner (1945)
Harold Russell / Laurence Olivier / Ernst Lubitsch / Claude Jarman Jr. (1946)
James Baskett / Thomas Armat, William Nicholas Selig, Albert E. Smith, and George Kirke Spoor / Bill and Coo / Shoeshine (1947)
Walter Wanger / Monsieur Vincent / Sid Grauman / Adolph Zukor (1948)
Jean Hersholt / Fred Astaire / Cecil B. DeMille / The Bicycle Thief (1949)
Louis B. Mayer / George Murphy / The Walls of Malapaga (1950)
Gene Kelly / Rashomon (1951)
Merian C. Cooper / Bob Hope / Harold Lloyd / George Mitchell / Joseph M. Schenck / Forbidden Games (1952)
20th Century-Fox Film Corporation / Bell & Howell Company / Joseph Breen / Pete Smith (1953)
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company / Danny Kaye / Kemp Niver / Greta Garbo / Jon Whiteley / Vincent Winter / Gate of Hell (1954)
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1955)
Eddie Cantor (1956)
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers / Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson / Charles Brackett / B. B. Kahane (1957)
Maurice Chevalier (1958)
Buster Keaton / Lee de Forest (1959)
Gary Cooper / Stan Laurel / Hayley Mills (1960)
William L. Hendricks / Fred L. Metzler / Jerome Robbins (1961)
Angela Bassett / Mel Brooks / Carol Littleton (2023)
Quincy Jones / Juliet Taylor (2024)
Debbie Allen / Tom Cruise / Wynn Thomas (2025)
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Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song
1990s
"When You Believe" – Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (1998)
"Music of My Heart" – Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren (1999)
2000s
"My Funny Friend and Me" – Music by David Hartley and Sting; Lyrics by Sting (2000)
"May It Be" – Music and Lyrics by Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan / "Vanilla Sky" – Music and Lyrics by Paul McCartney (2001)
"Lose Yourself" – Music and Lyrics by Jeff Bass, Eminem and Luis Resto (2002)
"A Mighty Wind" – Music and Lyrics by Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy and Michael McKean (2003)
"Old Habits Die Hard" – Music and Lyrics by Mick Jagger and David Stewart (2004)
"Hustle & Flow" – Music and Lyrics by Terrence Howard (2005)
"Listen" – Music and Lyrics by Scott Cutler, Henry Krieger and Anne Preven (2006)
"Falling Slowly" – Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (2007)
"The Wrestler" – Music and Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (2008)
"The Weary Kind" – Music and Lyrics by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (2009)
2010s
"If I Rise" – Music and Lyrics by Rollo Armstrong, Dido and A. R. Rahman (2010)
"Life's a Happy Song" – Music and Lyrics by Bret McKenzie (2011)
"Skyfall" – Music and Lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth (2012)
"Let It Go" – Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2013)
"Glory" – Music and Lyrics by Common and John Legend (2014)
"See You Again" – Music and Lyrics by Andrew Cedar, DJ Frank E, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth (2015)
"City of Stars" – Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2016)
"Remember Me" – Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2017)
"Shallow" – Music and Lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt (2018)
"Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" – Music and Lyrics by Mary Steenburgen / "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2019)
2020s
"Speak Now" – Music and Lyrics by Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth (2020)
"No Time to Die" – Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (2021)
"Naatu Naatu" – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose (2022)
"I'm Just Ken" – Music and Lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt (2023)
"El Mal" – Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard (2024)
"Golden" – Music by Joong Gyu-kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Park Hong-jun; Lyrics by Kim Eun-jae and Mark Sonnenblick (2025)
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Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
1970s
Love, American Style – Music and Lyrics by Charles Fox and Arnold Margolin (1970)
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest – Music and Lyrics by Ray Charles (1971)
The Funny Side – Music and Lyrics by Ray Charles (1972)
Liza with a Z – Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb (1973)
"Light My Way" – Music and Lyrics by David Paich and Marty Paich (1974)
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom – Music and Lyrics by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Billy Goldenberg (1975)
"Cinderella Gets It On" – Music and Lyrics by Artie Malvin, Ken & Mitzie Welch (1976)
No Award (1977)
"Hi-Hat" – Music and Lyrics by Stan Freeman and Arthur Malvin / "See You Tomorrow in Class" – Music and Lyrics by Ken & Mitzie Welch (1978)
No Award (1979)
1980s
No Award (1980)
"This Is My Night" – Music and Lyrics by Ken & Mitzie Welch (1981)
"On the Outside Looking In" – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1982)
"We'll Win This World" – Music by James Di Pasquale; Lyrics by Dory Previn (1983)
"Gone Too Soon" – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1984)
Love Lives On – Music by James Di Pasquale; Lyrics by Douglas Brayfield (1985)
"My Christmas Wish" – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1986)
"Welcome to Liberty" – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1987)
"The Sound of Christmas" – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1988)
"The First Time I Loved Forever" – Music by Lee Holdridge; Lyrics by Melanie (1989)
1990s
From the Heart... The First International Very Special Arts Festival – Music by Larry Grossman; Lyrics by Buz Kohan (1990)
"He's Guilty!" – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman (1991)
"Why Do I Lie?" – Music by Curt Sobel; Lyrics by Dennis Spiegel (1992)
"Sorry I Asked" – Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb (1993)
"The Song Remembers When" – Music and Lyrics by Hugh Prestwood (1994)
"Ordinary Miracles" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1995)
"Let's Settle Down" – Music by Charles Strouse; Lyrics by Lee Adams (1996)
"We Put the Spring in Springfield" – Music by Alf Clausen; Lyrics by Ken Keeler (1997)
"You're Checkin' In (A Musical Tribute to the Betty Ford Center)" – Music by Alf Clausen; Lyrics by Ken Keeler (1998)
"A Ticket to Dream" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1999)
2000s
"Up to You" – Music and Lyrics by John Kimbrough (2000)
"A Dream That Only I Can Know" – Music and Lyrics by Patrick Williams (2001)
"You've Got a Lot to See" – Music by Walter Murphy; Lyrics by Seth MacFarlane (2002)
"Aren't They All Our Children" – Music by David Foster; Lyrics by Linda Thompson (2003)
"Because You Are Beautiful" – Music by Toni Childs; Lyrics by Toni Childs, Eddy Free, and David Ricketts (2004)
"Mary Jane/Mary Lane" – Music by Dan Studney; Lyrics by Kevin Murphy (2005)
"A Wonderfully Normal Day" – Music by Greg O'Connor; Lyrics by Jim Wise (2006)
"Dick in a Box" – Music by Katreese Barnes, Asa Taccone, Jorma Taccone, and Justin Timberlake; Lyrics by Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Justin Timberlake (2007)
"I'm F**king Matt Damon" – Music and Lyrics by Tony Barbieri, Sal Iacono, Wayne McClammy, Sarah Silverman, and Dan Warner (2008)
"Hugh Jackman Opening Number" – Music by John Kimbrough, William Ross, and Rob Schrab; Lyrics by Dan Harmon and Ben Schwartz (2009)
2010s
"When I'm Gone" – Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman (2010)
"Justin Timberlake Monologue" – Music by Katreese Barnes; Lyrics by Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, and Justin Timberlake (2011)
"It's Not Just for Gays Anymore" – Music by Adam Schlesinger; Lyrics by David Javerbaum (2012)
"If I Had Time" – Music by Adam Schlesinger; Lyrics by David Javerbaum (2013)
"Bigger!" – Music by Tom Kitt; Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (2014)
"Girl You Don't Need Make Up" – Music by Kyle Dunnigan; Lyrics by Kyle Dunnigan and Jim Roach (2015)
"Til It Happens to You" – Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren (2016)
"Letter to the Free" – Music by Common; Lyrics by Common, Robert Glasper, and Karriem Riggins (2017)
"Come Back Barack" – Music by Eli Brueggemann; Lyrics by Chris Redd, Will Stephen, and Kenan Thompson (2018)
"Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal" – Music by Rachel Bloom and Adam Schlesinger; Lyrics by Rachel Bloom, Jack Dolgen, and Adam Schlesinger (2019)
2020s
"All for Us" – Music and Lyrics by Labrinth (2020)
"Agatha All Along" – Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (2021)
"Corn Puddin'" – Music and Lyrics by Cinco Paul (2022)
"A Beautiful Game" – Music and Lyrics by Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance, and Max Martin (2023)
"Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman, and Scott Wittman (2024)
"Let's Put the Christ Back in Christmas" – Music and Lyrics by Christopher Lennertz (2025)
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Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
1960s
"Town Without Pity" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1961)
No Award (1962)
No Award (1963)
"Circus World" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1964)
"Forget Domani" – Music by Riz Ortolani; Lyrics by Norman Newell (1965)
"Strangers in the Night" – Music by Bert Kaempfert; Lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder (1966)
"If Ever I Would Leave You" – Music by Frederick Loewe; Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner (1967)
"The Windmills of Your Mind" – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1968)
"Jean" – Music and lyrics by Rod McKuen (1969)
1970s
"Whistling Away the Dark" – Music by Henry Mancini; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1970)
"Life Is What You Make It" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1971)
"Ben" – Music by Walter Scharf; Lyrics by Don Black (1972)
"The Way We Were" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1973)
"I Feel Love" – Music by Euel Box; Lyrics by Betty Box (1974)
"I'm Easy" – Music and lyrics by Keith Carradine (1975)
"Evergreen" – Music by Barbra Streisand; Lyrics by Paul Williams (1976)
"You Light Up My Life" – Music and lyrics by Joseph Brooks (1977)
"Last Dance" – Music and lyrics by Paul Jabara (1978)
"The Rose" – Music and lyrics by Amanda McBroom (1979)
1980s
"Fame" – Music by Michael Gore; Lyrics by Dean Pitchford (1980)
"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Music and lyrics by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross, and Carole Bayer Sager (1981)
"Up Where We Belong" – Music by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1982)
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Irene Cara and Keith Forsey (1983)
"I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Music and lyrics by Stevie Wonder (1984)
"Say You, Say Me" – Music and lyrics by Lionel Richie (1985)
"Take My Breath Away" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Tom Whitlock (1986)
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" – Music by John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz; Lyrics by Franke Previte (1987)
"Let the River Run" – Music and lyrics by Carly Simon / "Two Hearts" – Music by Lamont Dozier; Lyrics by Phil Collins (1988)
"Under the Sea" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1989)
1990s
"Blaze of Glory" – Music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi (1990)
"Beauty and the Beast" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1991)
"A Whole New World" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1992)
"Streets of Philadelphia" – Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (1993)
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1994)
"Colors of the Wind" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (1995)
"You Must Love Me" – Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1996)
"My Heart Will Go On" – Music by James Horner; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1997)
"The Prayer" – Music and lyrics by David Foster, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager, and Alberto Testa (1998)
"You'll Be in My Heart" – Music and lyrics by Phil Collins (1999)
2000s
"Things Have Changed" – Music and lyrics by Bob Dylan (2000)
"Until..." – Music and lyrics by Sting (2001)
"The Hands That Built America" – Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. (2002)
"Into the West" – Music and Lyrics by Annie Lennox, Howard Shore, and Frances Walsh (2003)
"Old Habits Die Hard" – Music and lyrics by Mick Jagger and David A. Stewart (2004)
"A Love That Will Never Grow Old" – Music by Gustavo Santaolalla; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2005)
"The Song of the Heart" – Music and lyrics by Prince Rogers Nelson (2006)
"Guaranteed" – Music and lyrics by Eddie Vedder (2007)
"The Wrestler" – Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (2008)
"The Weary Kind" – Music and lyrics by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (2009)
2010s
"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" – Music and lyrics by Diane Warren (2010)
"Masterpiece" – Music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, and Jimmy Harry (2011)
"Skyfall" – Music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth (2012)
"Ordinary Love" – Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, the Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., and Danger Mouse (2013)
"Glory" – Music and lyrics by Common and John Legend (2014)
"Writing's on the Wall" – Music and lyrics by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes (2015)
"City of Stars" – Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2016)
"This Is Me" – Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2017)
"Shallow" – Music and lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt (2018)
"(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2019)
2020s
"Io sì (Seen)" – Music by Diane Warren; Lyrics by Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, and Niccolò Agliardi (2020)
"No Time to Die" – Music and lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (2021)
"Naatu Naatu" – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose (2022)
"What Was I Made For?" – Music and lyrics by Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell (2023)
"El Mal" – Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard (2024)
"Golden" – Music by Joong Gyu-kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Park Hong-jun; Lyrics by Kim Eun-jae and Mark Sonnenblick (2025)
Complete List
(1960s)
(1970s)
(1980s)
(1990s)
(2000s)
(2010s)
(2020s)
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Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media
Awarded to songwriters
1980s
"Somewhere Out There" – James Horner, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (1988)
"Two Hearts" – Phil Collins & Lamont Dozier (1989)
1990s
"Let the River Run" – Carly Simon (1990)
"Under the Sea" – Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (1991)
"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen & Bryan Adams (1992)
"Beauty and the Beast" – Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (1993)
"A Whole New World" – Alan Menken & Tim Rice (1994)
"Streets of Philadelphia" – Bruce Springsteen (1995)
"Colors of the Wind" – Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz (1996)