Oscars: Society of Composers & Lyricists Asks Academy to Restore Performances of Nominated Songs to Telecast (Exclusive)
The Society of Composers & Lyricists, which describes itself as “the premier organization for professional songwriters and composers working in film and other visual media” and counts all of this year’s Oscar-nominated songwriters as members, is calling on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to walk back its recently announced decision to remove the performances of Oscar-nominated songs from this year’s Oscars telecast.
In a letter sent on Friday to the Academy’s CEO, president and board of governors, as well as to the producers of the March 2 Oscars telecast, SCL president Ashley Irwin said the organization’s members are “disappointed” in the Academy’s decision, calling it “just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators” and a move that serves to “silence songwriters.”
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Noting that the performers of this year’s Oscar-nominated songs would include past Oscar winners H.E.R. and Elton John, as well as Brandi Carlile, Clément Ducol and Camille, Adrian Quesada and Abraham Alexander, and 16-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren, Irwin argued that songs would be more welcome this year than ever, given the recent devastation from the Los Angeles wildfires: “music has the power to inspire and heal — a message reflected in the Oscar-nominated songs.”
Irwin closed by pleading that “there must be a way to accommodate even abbreviated renditions of the nominated songs during the show,” while urging the recipients of his missive “to reconsider your decision and let the songs provide the hope and inspiration to the audience that they do in their respective films.”
The Academy declined to comment.
The full text of Irwin’s letter appears below.
Dear AMPAS Governors and producers of the 97th Academy Awards,
I am the president of The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), the premier organization for professional songwriters and composers working in film and other visual media. All the Oscar-nominated songwriters this year, as in most years, are members of the SCL. Our members, who number over 4,000 in more than 80 countries worldwide, including the majority of the Motion Picture Academy Music Branch, are disappointed over the decision to eliminate the Oscar-nominated song performances at the 97th Academy Awards. Songwriters and composers face many challenges in the current climate, including everything from diminished royalty payments by streaming services to the theft of their intellectual property to enrich “big tech” in the guise of training for AI. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an award like the Oscar, has always served to amplify and honor the work of talented craftspeople, but this decision to exclude the song performances presents as just another example of the devaluation of music, and its creators. What should be an opportunity to elevate our craft, by an Academy tasked to represent the importance of music to a motion picture’s storytelling, will be lost. A performance shares the creation of a songwriter’s original work. To eliminate the nominee performances is to silence songwriters.
We understand there are reasons behind this decision, but it is my understanding that there was no discussion with the Music Branch. The songs and performances this year would represent a diverse range of artists, including past Oscar winners H.E.R. and Elton John along with Brandi Carlile, Clément Ducol & Camille, Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander, as well as 16-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren. The promotion of these song performances will undoubtedly draw a larger viewing audience. But most importantly, in a time when Los Angeles, the home of filmmaking, has lost entire communities and with so many people affected, music has the power to inspire and heal – a message reflected in the Oscar-nominated songs…
The Journey from THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT
All the times you could’ve give in and you’d given up Times you didn’t know if you were strong enough
Still you got through
It’s the journey
It’s the getting there to where you’re going to
Going through hell but still you’re gonna make it through…
Never Too Late from ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE
Well, it’s never too late For a wide-open slate
A kiss from a stranger
A thousand first dates You’re an iron man baby To hell with Heaven’s Gate It’s not a moment too soon If it’s never too
Never too late
Fly Like a Bird from SING SING
I pray
These broken bones will heal Only if walls could talk
To tell you the pain I feel That day
I’ll paint a thousand skies Weight of the world aside Just leave it all behind
Mi Camino [English lyrics] from EMILIA PéREZ
I want to love myself Love, yes, my life
Love, yes, what I feel
I want to love myself Love myself fully
Love myself just as I am
With the quality of the talent assembled to produce The Oscars?, there must be a way to accommodate even abbreviated renditions of the nominated songs during the show. I respectfully urge you to reconsider your decision and let the songs provide the hope and inspiration to the audience that they do in their respective films.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,
Ashley Irwin
President of the Society of Composer & Lyricists
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