At the prestigious 15th annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA), held on Wednesday, November 20, at The Avalon in Hollywood, CA, Netflix’s Emilia Pérez and acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer were the standout winners, each taking home three significant awards. The HMMA is a notable event that celebrates the achievements of composers, songwriters, and music supervisors, acknowledging their remarkable contributions to film, television, video games, and other media over the past year.

Emilia Pérez secured wins in two categories: for the music-themed film, biopic, or musical, and for the onscreen performance of the song by Zoe Saldana, who delivered a captivating rendition of “El Mal.” Additionally, the film’s talented French composers, Clément Ducol and Camille, were recognized for their outstanding score in the feature film category, further highlighting the film’s musical excellence.

Hans Zimmer was the most awarded individual of the evening, achieving three prestigious HMMAs. His accolades included the score for the sci-fi/fantasy film Dune: Part Two, the score for the documentary series Planet Earth III, which he collaborated on with Jacob Shea and Sara Barone, and the song category for the TV show/limited series for “Love Will Survive” from The Tattooist of Auschwitz. This song was co-written by Zimmer along with Kara Talve, Walter Afanasieff, and Charlie Midnight, and featured a performance by the legendary Barbra Streisand.

Universal Pictures’ animated film, The Wild Robot, along with the iconic lyricist Bernie Taupin, also took home two awards each, showcasing the diverse talent recognized at the event.

Specifically, The Wild Robot garnered top honors in both animated film categories, winning for its score created by Kris Bowers and its original song “Kiss the Sky.” This uplifting song was performed by Maren Morris, who co-wrote it with a talented team including Ali Tamposi, Michael Pollack, Delacey, Jordan Johnson, and Stefan Johnson, further demonstrating the collaborative spirit present in the film’s production.

Bernie Taupin received the HMMA Outstanding Career Achievement Award for his prolific contributions to music. He also shared the award for song – documentary film for “Never Too Late” from the Disney+ documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. This powerful song was co-written and performed by Elton John and Brandi Carlile, with additional collaborations from Taupin and Andrew Watt, marking another highlight of the evening.

Esteemed songwriter Diane Warren was recognized for her exceptional work, winning the HMMA for song – feature film for “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight, which was beautifully performed by H.E.R.. Should this song receive an Oscar nomination, it would be Warren’s 16th nomination for best original song, and notably, her eighth consecutive year of being nominated, solidifying her legacy in the industry.

Artists Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, and Andrew Wyatt took home the award for song – independent film for “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl, with Cyrus also lending her voice to the performance of the track, adding to her impressive musical repertoire.

The HMMA Awards serve as an exciting precursor to the Oscars, occurring just a month prior to the Academy’s announcement of its shortlists for original songs and scores on December 17. The Oscar nominations will follow shortly on January 17, making the HMMA awards an essential barometer for predicting the music-related contenders in upcoming award shows.

Below are the 2024 HMMA nominations for film categories, with winners highlighted, along with a complete list of additional award recipients.

Recognizing Excellence in Feature Film Songs

“Winter Coat” from Blitz – Written by Nicholas Britell, Taura Stinson, and Steve McQueen. Performed by Saoirse Ronan.

“Compress/Repress” from Challengers– Written by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Luca Guadagnino. Performed by Mariqueen Maandig Reznor.

“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez – Written by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard. Performed by Zoe Saldana.

“Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez – Written by Clément Ducol and Camille. Performed by Selena Gomez and Édgar Ramírez.

“Forbidden Road” from Better Man – Written and performed by Robbie Williams.

“Periyone” from The Goat Life – Written by A.R. Rahman and Rafiq Ahamed. Performed by Jithin Raj.

“The Idea of You” from The Idea of You – Written by Savan Kotecha, Albin Nedler, and Carl Falk. Performed by Galitzine and Anne-Marie.

WINNER: “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight – Written by Diane Warren. Performed by H.E.R.

“Out of Oklahoma” from Twisters– Written by Luke Dick, Shane McAnally, and Lainey Wilson. Performed by Lainey Wilson.

Celebrating Songs from Animated Films

“Double Life” from Despicable Me 4 – Written and performed by Pharrell Williams.

“Beyond” from Moana 2 – Written by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Performed by Auli’i Cravalho.

“Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” from Moana 2 – Written by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Performed by Dwayne Johnson.

WINNER: “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot – Written by Maren Morris, Ali Tamposi, Michael Pollack, Delacey, Jordan Johnson, and Stefan Johnson. Performed by Maren Morris.

“Just as You Are” from Thelma the Unicorn – Written by Taura Stinson, Darien Dorsey, and Brittany Howard. Performed by Brittany Howard.

Acknowledging Exceptional Songs in Documentary Films

“Pain Has a Purpose” from Americans With No Address – Written by Cindy Morgan and Jonathan Kingham. Performed by Rachael Lampa.

WINNER: “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late – Written by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin, and Andrew Watt. Performed by Elton John and Brandi Carlile.

“Mis Cuatro Letras” from Night Is Not Eternal – Written and performed by San Miguel Pérez and Chad Cannon.

“Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece – Written by Pharrell Williams. Performed by Pharrell Williams, and Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers.

“Growing Up Is for Losers” from Red Herring – Written and performed by Xav Clarke.

“Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper – Written by Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, and Josh Greenbaum. Performed by Kristen Wiig.

Recognizing Outstanding Songs from Independent Films

“Wi Sabi Wi” from African Giants – Written by Justin Schornstein. Performed by Malik Mayne, Patrick Dillon Curry, and Justin Schornstein.

“City of Dreams” from City of Dreams – Written by Linda Perry. Performed by Luis Fonsi.

“Hold on to the Dream” from Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End. Written by Arli Liberman and Tiki Taane. Performed by Arli Liberman, Tiki Taane, and Louis Baker.

“Right Where He Ought To Be” from Kim Kahana: The Man Who Changed Hollywood – Written by Richard Lynch and Kenny Day. Performed by Richard Lynch.

“The Creatures of Nature” from Sasquatch Sunset – Written by Toto Miranda, Yvonne Lambert, and Josh Lambert. Performed by Riley Keough.

WINNER: “Beautiful That Way” from The Last Showgirl – Written by Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, and Andrew Wyatt. Performed by Miley Cyrus.

Celebrating Songs Featuring Onscreen Performances

Cynthia Erivo – “Defying Gravity” from Wicked

Nicholas Galitzine and Anne-Marie – “The Idea of You” from The Idea of You

Saoirse Ronan – “Winter Coat” from Blitz

Timothée Chalamet – “Blowin’ in the Wind” from A Complete Unknown

WINNER: Zoe Saldana – “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez

Honoring Scores in Feature Films

Blitz – Hans Zimmer

Challengers – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Conclave – Volker Bertelmann

WINNER: Emilia Pérez – Clément Ducol and Camille

Gladiator II – Harry Gregson-Williams

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 – John Debney

Saturday Night – Jon Batiste

The Six Triple Eight – Aaron Zigman

Acknowledging Scores in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Films

Deadpool & Wolverine – Rob Simonsen

WINNER: Dune: Part Two – Hans Zimmer

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Tom Holkenborg

If – Michael Giacchino

Red One – Henry Jackman

Recognizing Scores in Foreign Language Independent Films

Girl You Know It’s True – Segun Akinola

Ka Whawhai Tonu- Struggle Without End – Arli Liberman, Tiki Taane

Mongrels – Hao-Ting Shih, Tae-Young Yu

The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Karzan Mahmood

The Shadow of the Sun – Sandro Morales-Santoro

WINNER: The Goat Life – A.R. Rahman

Honoring Scores in Independent Films

African Giants – Justin Schornstein

In the Land of Saints and Sinners