The Song of the Year list captures a wide spectrum of hits ranging from dynamic pop duos and R&B collaborations that charted for the rest of the year.
For such a category, it’s tough to cut this all down to one winner. On one hand, the nominees include Lady Gaga and ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ with their party-ready anthems “Abracadabra” and “APT.” Sabrina Carpenter takes a stand against emotionally unavailable men in “Manchild,” while Billie Eilish reflects on tangled relationships in “WILDFLOWER.”
The rest of the nominees have strong rap contenders such as Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,’ offering a smoky, slow-burning R&B tale of love, and Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” pairs his signature rap style in emotional territory. Doechii rounds out the list with “Anxiety,” her 2023 track that had lived a second life due to its unexpected virality.
However, the dark horse and the nominee to likely bag the Song of the Year would go to EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick’s “Golden,” from the soundtrack of KPop Demon Hunters. What began as a song for an animated feature became a cultural phenomenon, sweeping global charts and turning casual music listeners into K-pop fans. The track’s soaring vocals and anthemic structure struck a chord that crossed language and genre barriers.
EJAE, a Seoul-born songwriter long credited for penning hits for Red Velvet, Aespa, TWICE, and Le Sserafim, finally stepped into her own spotlight as a singer. “Golden,” co-written with American composer and lyricist Mark Sonnenblick, is both vocally demanding and emotionally charged, its climactic high note inspiring countless covers and reaction videos.
Sonnenblick, known for his work in musical theater and films, brought a cinematic weight to the track’s structure, pairing EJAE’s pop instincts with his knack for narrative-driven melodies. For K-pop artists and fans alike, the song cements EJAE and Sonnenblick’s place not just within K-pop but across the broader pop landscape.
The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is also up for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, a crowded field that includes F1: The Album, Sinners, and Wicked. Still, “Golden” stands out as the defining song of the year. The nomination proves that a breakout moment from an artist long behind the scenes would now be at the center of the world’s music stage.
