Two songs from Barbie have been nominated for the song-feature film category at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) Awards. The nominated songs are “I’m Just Ken” written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, and “What Was I Made For?” written by Billie Eilish and Finneas. The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. PT at The Avalon in Hollywood, Calif.
The other nominees in the song-feature film category include “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot, “High Life” from Flora and Son, “I Am” from Origin, “Road to Freedom” from Rustin, “This” from The Beanie Bubble, and “Keep It Movin'” from The Color Purple.
The HMMA Awards are often considered a predictor for the Oscars. Previous HMMA winners who have gone on to win Oscars include Eilish and Finneas for 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. Additionally, songs from Judas & the Black Messiah, La La Land, A Star Is Born, and others have also won both HMMA Awards and Oscars.
Unlike the Oscars, which have only one category each for songs and scores, the HMMAs have six categories for songs and seven categories for scores.
Robbie Robertson, who passed away in August at the age of 80, has received a posthumous nomination for score – feature film for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. This collaboration marks the eleventh and final project between Scorsese and Robertson, and the film is dedicated to the legendary Canadian rock musician.
The nominees in the song–onscreen performance category include Halle Bailey for “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid and “Keep It Movin'” from The Color Purple , Megan Thee Stallion for “Out Alpha the Alpha” from Dicks: The Musical, NSYNC for “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together, Ryan Gosling for “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, Timothée Chalamet for “A World of Your Own” from Wonka, Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor for “High Life” from Flora and Son, and Oil Factory feat. Chlöe, Jekalyn Carr, Loren Lott for “Praise Nationals Finale” from Praise This. Olivia Rodrigo received a nomination for co-writing “Can’t Catch Me Now” with Dan Nigro in the best song – sci-fi/fantasy category. The HMMAs will also honor Marc Shaiman with an outstanding career achievement award. Some nominated films have not yet been released, but the HMMAs allow them to compete with up to 15 minutes of score to picture. The Oscar shortlists for best original song and best original score will be announced on Dec. 21, with nominations following on Jan. 23, 2024, and the awards ceremony on March 10, 2024.