It really is a Barbie world. Not only did Greta Gerwig’s film dominate the box office this year, but the soundtrack is now taking over the Grammys with 12 nominations spread across what appears to be like 100 categories.
While many have been gunning for “I’m Just Ken” (sung by Ryan Gosling in the movie) to garner an Academy Award nomination, the Grammy nods may derail those hopes. This song did get nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media, but that’s its only nomination, AND it’s up against Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?,” “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice (featuring a sample by Aqua), and “Dance The Night” by Dua Lipa, plus “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Yes. The Barbie soundtrack took up four out of five slots in this category. Apologies to Jack Black’s “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was snubbed and is another movie song that people are rooting for to garner an Academy Award nomination.
As for “I’m Just Ken” ‘s Academy Award hopes, it will be up against Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” which has FIVE Grammy nominations itself. Warner Bros. can submit up to three songs from a single movie “for consideration” for the Best Song Oscar, but ultimately, only two songs from a single movie can be nominated and the studio may lean into those that were actual pop hits.
Now, that’s not entirely fair. The Academy is to celebrate MOVIES, not pop songs. However, looking back at the last few years, you will notice that they always nominate and even award pop songs, many of which only play over the closing credits of a particular film. In fact, Eilish herself won an Academy Award for her theme song to the James Bond movie No Time to Die.
“What Was I Made For?” is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Music Video. For Song of the Year, it’s up against “Dance the Night,” which was a fun song but probably doesn’t have a chance here.
“Barbie World” is nominated for Best Rap Song, with Ice Spice also up for Best New Artist, although that’s mainly for her other releases this year.
The Barbie soundtrack as a whole is up for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, while Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who co-wrote and produced most of the songs for the film, are also nominated for Best Score Soundtrack.
The Grammy Awards will be handed out on February 4, 2024. It will broadcast live on CBS.
There’s no point in listing every Grammy category here, but these are the ones in which Barbie is in the running:
Record of the Year
“Worship,” Jon Batiste
“Not Strong Enough,” Boygenius
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift
“Kill Bill,” SZA
Song of the Year
“A&W” — Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Sam Dew, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Anti-Hero” — Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Butterfly” — Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Dance the Night” (From “Barbie the Album”) — Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Flowers” — Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Miley Cyrus)
“Kill Bill” — Rob Bisel, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe, songwriters (SZA)
“Vampire” — Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Oliva Rodrigo)
“What Was I Made For?” [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”] — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist
Gracie Abrams
Fred Again
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War and Treaty
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
“Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat
“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift
Best Rap Song
Doja Cat – Attention
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice ft. Aqua – Barbie World
Lil Uzi Vert – Just Wanna Rock
Drake & 21 Savage – Rich Flex
Killer Mike ft. André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane – Scientists & Engineers
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)
“Barbie,” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, composers
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ludwig Göransson, composer
“The Fabelmans,” John Williams, composer
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” John Williams, composer
“Oppenheimer,” Ludwig Göransson, composer
Best Song Written for Visual Media
“Barbie World” from “Barbie the Album,” Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. and Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice featuring Aqua)
“Dance the Night” from “Barbie the Album,” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie the Album,” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Ryan Gosling)
“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Music From and Inspired By,” Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty, and Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Rihanna)
“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie the Album,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Daisy Jones & The Six – Aurora
Various Artists – Barbie The Album
Various Artists – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By
Various Artists – Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3
Weird Al Yankovic – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Best Music Video
The Beatles – I’m Only Sleeping
Tyler Childers – In Your Love
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For
Kendrick Lamar – Count Me Out
Troye Sivan – Rush
