'See You Again' and 20 Other Megahits That Oscar Spurned
“See You Again” from Furious 7
This was undoubtedly most shocking omission from this year’s nominations. The hip-hop ballad by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth was #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 12 weeks. It allowed fans to mourn the death of actor Paul Walker, one of the stars of the Fast and the Furious franchise. The song was nominated for a Golden Globe and three Grammys, including Song of the Year. It was the first film song to receive a nom in that major Grammy category since Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” 12 years ago. (Photo: Getty Images/Universal Pictures)
“Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” from Waiting to Exhale
Whitney Houston’s recording of this doo-wop-accented ballad debuted at #1 in November 1995. Houston’s light touch on the song was a nice change of pace after her full-throttle performance on “I Will Always Love You.” Houston co-starred in the movie with Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon. Babyface’s song got some recognition at the Grammys, where it was nominated for Song of the Year. Houston and Mariah Carey introduced the 1998 Oscar-winner, “When You Believe.” (Photo: Redferns/20th Century Fox Film)
“Tears in Heaven” from Rush
Eric Clapton co-wrote this ballad with lyricist Will Jennings. Clapton channeled his grief over the death of his son into a work of anguished beauty. His recording was #2 for four weeks in the spring of 1992. It won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. The song is better-known than the movie, which starred Jason Patric and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Jennings had won an Oscar for co-writing “Up Where We Belong” and would win another for co-writing “My Heart Will Go On” (another song about the death of a loved one). (Photo: Redferns/MGM)
“A View to a Kill” from A View to a Kill
Duran Duran’s recording of this song was #1 for two weeks in July 1985. This was the first (and remains the only) song from a James Bond movie to reach #1 in American. The group co-wrote the song with veteran film composer John Barry. Barry had won in this category for co-writing the much more sedate “Born Free.” A View to a Kill was Roger Moore’s seventh and final outing as Bond. (Photo: Redferns/MGM/UA)
“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from The Breakfast Club
Simple Minds’ recording of this song hit #1 in May 1985. Keith Forsey (who had won for co-writing “Flashdance… What a Feeling”) and Steve Schiff co-wrote the song. Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, and Molly Ringwald starred in the movie. A song from another 1985 Brat Pack movie, St. Elmo’s Fire, experienced a similar fate. John Parr’s recording of “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” spent two weeks at #1, but Oscar voters nixed that one too. (Photo: Redferns/Universal Pictures)
“I Believe I Can Fly” from Space Jam
R. Kelly’s symphonic soul song was #2 for four weeks in the winter of 1996. The inspirational ballad received Grammy noms for Record and Song of the Year. Michael Jordan starred in the movie, the most popular live-action/animated sports comedy of all time (admittedly, not a crowded genre). (Photo: Getty Images/Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Kiss From a Rose” from Batman Forever
Seal’s elegant recording hit #1 in August 1995. The baroque accents give it a touch of class. Seal won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carrey starred in the movie. (Photo: NBCU/Getty Images/Warner Bros. Pictures)
“End of the Road” from Boomerang
Boyz II Men’s old-school R&B ballad was #1 for 13 weeks in 1992, which established a new “rock era” record at the time. Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons co-wrote the song for the Eddie Murphy comedy. Babyface was snubbed again three years later. (Read on.) (Photo: WireImage/Paramount Pictures)
“Independent Women (Part 1)” from Charlie’s Angels
The feminist-themed smash by Destiny’s Child was #1 for 11 weeks in the winter of 2000. Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu starred in the movie. Destiny’s Child gives clever namechecks to the actresses at the start of the song. Beyoncé (who was headed for movie stardom herself) co-wrote the song with Sam Barnes, J.C. Olivier, and Mark Cory Rooney. (Photo: WireImage/Columbia Pictures)
“Stayin’ Alive” from Saturday Night Fever
The Bee Gees’ single was #1 for four weeks in February 1978. The trio — Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb — co-wrote the song for the 1977 movie that made John Travolta a superstar. Three other songs from the movie (“How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night Fever,” and “If I Can’t Have You”) also became #1 hits. “Stayin’ Alive” received Grammy nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Oscar voters snubbed Barry Gibb again the following year when he wrote the title song to Grease. (Photo: NBCU/Paramount Pictures)
“Love Me Tender” from Love Me Tender
The tender and unadorned title song from Presley’s first movie was #1 for five weeks in the fall of 1956. Presley and Vera Matson were credited as the song’s writers. None of Presley’s many hits from his 33 feature films were nominated for an Oscar. Others include “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and “Return to Sender.” (Photo: Getty Images/20th Century Fox Film)
“A Hard Day’s Night” from A Hard Day’s Night
The title song from the first Beatles movie was #1 for two weeks in August 1964. John Lennon and Paul McCartney co-wrote the energetic rocker. It fared better at the Grammys, where it became the first rock song to be nominated for Song of the Year. None of the Beatles’ movie songs received Oscar nominations, though the group finally won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score for 1970’s “Let It Be”. (Photo: AP/Proscenium Films)
“When Doves Cry” from Purple Rain
The lead single from Prince’s first film was #1 for five weeks in the summer of 1984. It still sounds fresh and innovative 32 years later. None of Prince’s movie songs have received Oscar nominations, though Prince won for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain. (Photo: Redferns/Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Live to Tell” from At Close Range
Madonna’s elegant ballad reached #1 in June 1986. Madonna and Patrick Leonard co-wrote the song for a movie that starred her then-husband, Sean Penn. For all she has accomplished, Madonna has yet to receive an Oscar nomination. She was also passed over for two other #1 hits that she co-wrote—"Who’s That Girl" and “This Used to Be My Playground.” (She has, however, popularized two songs that she didn’t write that won Oscars: “Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)” and “You Must Love Me.”) (Photo: Redferns/Orion Pictures)
“Call Me” from American Gigolo
Blondie’s propulsive single, which fused electronic dance music and rock, was #1 for six weeks in the spring of 1980. Richard Gere starred in the movie. Blondie’s lead singer, Debbie Harry, co-wrote the song with producer Giorgio Moroder. He would go on to win twice in the category with two other hits, “Flashdance… What a Feeling” and “Take My Breath Away.” (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images/Paramount Pictures)
“Love on the Rocks” from The Jazz Singer
Neil Diamond wrote this brooding ballad for the movie in which he starred. The movie, a remake of a 1927 Al Jolson classic, flopped at the box office. Nonetheless, the soundtrack was a big hit and spun off three top 10 singles. This song was #2 for three weeks in January 1981. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images/EMI Films)
“To Sir With Love” from To Sir, With Love
Lulu’s stylish single logged five weeks at #1 in the fall of 1967. Lulu appeared in the Sidney Poitier movie as a student. Don Black and Mark London co-wrote the song. Black had won the Oscar the year before for co-writing “Born Free.” (The movie title had a comma. The song title didn’t. Go figure.) (Photo: Getty Images/Separate Cinema Archive)
“Magic” from Xanadu
Olivia Newton-John’s first movie following Grease flopped at the box office, but it gave her two top 10 singles. This lovely rhythm ballad was #1 for four weeks in August 1980. Her go-to songwriter, John Farrar, wrote it. (He had received an Oscar nom two years earlier for writing “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” Newton-John’s big ballad in Grease.) (Photo: NY Daily News Archive/Universal Pictures)
“The Heat Is On” from Beverly Hills Cop
The late Glenn Frey’s spirited recording of this song hit #2 in March 1985. Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey co-wrote the song for the Eddie Murphy comedy. Faltermeyer and Forsey re-teamed to co-write Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” for the 1987 sequel. (Seger helped co-write the lyric.) “Shakedown” reached #1 and received an Oscar nom. (It just had a little better luck.) (Photo: Getty Images/Paramount Pictures)
“Shake Ya Tailfeather” from Bad Boys II
This hip-hop smash by Nelly/P. Diddy/Murphy Lee was #1 for four weeks in September 2003. Nelly and Murphy Lee co-wrote the song with Jayson Bridges and Varick Smith. The song gives namechecks to two Rat Pack icons, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. (It also contains two plugs for the soundtrack album.) Martin Lawrence and Will Smith starred in the movie. (Photo: Getty Images/Columbia Pictures)
“Kokomo” from Cocktail
The Beach Boys cribbed from Jimmy Buffett’s patented laid-back style on this sleek single, which reached #1 in November 1988. It was the group’s first #1 hit in nearly 22 years. Mike Love of the Beach Boys co-wrote the song with fellow pop veterans Scott MacKenzie, Terry Melcher, and John Phillips. Tom Cruise starred in the movie. (Photo: AP/Buena Vista Pictures)
“See You Again” from Furious 7 logged 12 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It seemed to be a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song this year, but it came up short. Here’s a gallery of other chart-busting film songs that were passed over for Oscar noms.