‘Golden,’ ‘Shallow,’ ‘Shaft’ & More: All 18 Best Original Song Oscar Winners to Hit No. 1 on the Hot 100

The intersection of cinematic excellence and commercial chart dominance is a rare and prestigious space. While hundreds of songs have vied for the Academy Award for Best Original Song since the category’s inception in 1935, only a select few have managed to simultaneously conquer the Billboard Hot 100, the industry’s gold standard for popular music success.

Following the 98th Academy Awards, we have officially added a new entry to this exclusive club: HUNTR/X’s “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. This achievement marks the first time since Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” in 2019 that an Oscar-winning track has also reigned supreme at the top of the Hot 100.

The Elite History of Chart-Topping Oscar Winners

The Billboard Hot 100 launched in 1958, providing a definitive look at the songs capturing the public’s imagination. Since that time, only 18 songs have achieved the “double crown” of winning an Oscar and reaching No. 1 on the Hot 100. The journey began in 1970 with B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” a track that set the benchmark for crossover appeal.

The list includes legendary artists and songwriters who have defined generations. Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Warnes stand out as the only performers to reach the summit twice with Oscar-winning material. Meanwhile, songwriters like Burt Bacharach, Giorgio Moroder, and Will Jennings have solidified their legacies by penning multiple chart-topping, award-winning anthems.

Analyzing the Longevity of Modern Classics

“Golden” enters this list with impressive momentum, having spent eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1. This places it in an elite tier of endurance. Historically, only two other Oscar-winning songs have managed eight or more weeks at the top: Debby Boone’s 1977 smash “You Light Up My Life” (10 weeks) and Eminem’s 2002 powerhouse “Lose Yourself” (12 weeks).

Despite the high-profile nature of these awards, the double victory has become increasingly rare in the digital age. The 1970s and 80s were the golden eras for this phenomenon, but the 1990s through the 2020s have seen significantly fewer songs bridge the gap between Oscar gold and Hot 100 dominance.

Complete List of the 18 Double-Crown Winners

  • B.J. Thomas – “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (1970)
  • Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft” (1972)
  • Maureen McGovern – “The Morning After” (1973)
  • Barbra Streisand – “The Way We Were” (1974)
  • Barbra Streisand – “Evergreen” (1977)
  • Debby Boone – “You Light Up My Life” (1978)
  • Christopher Cross – “Arthur’s Theme” (1982)
  • Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes – “Up Where We Belong” (1983)
  • Irene Cara – “Flashdance…What a Feeling” (1984)
  • Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called to Say I Love You” (1985)
  • Lionel Richie – “Say You, Say Me” (1986)
  • Berlin – “Take My Breath Away” (1987)
  • Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” (1988)
  • Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle – “A Whole New World” (1993)
  • Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On” (1998)
  • Eminem – “Lose Yourself” (2003)
  • Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” (2019)
  • HUNTR/X – “Golden” (2026)

This list serves as a testament to the enduring power of music in film. Whether it is the soul-stirring ballads of the 70s or the modern pop-culture phenomena of today, these 18 songs have proven that the right melody, paired with the right story, can conquer both the cinema and the airwaves.

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