Songs Not in the English Language That Won Oscars for Best Original Song: Complete List

“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez won best original song at the 2025 Oscars on Sunday (March 2), marking the second time in three years that the award has gone to song that was performed in the film in a language other than English.

This is the first time in the history of the best original song category, which was first presented in 1935, that two “foreign-language songs” (as we used to call them in less enlightened times) have won in such quick succession.

“El Mal” is the sixth winner that was performed in the film in a language other than English. Four of those songs have won in the last 21 years. In the first 70 years that the award was presented, just two such songs won.

This is a clear sign of the increasing globalization of pop culture, and specifically of the Motion Picture Academy’s voting body.

Three of these six songs were performed in Spanish in the films (including “El Mal,” despite the fact that all three of the song’s writers are French). One was performed in Greek, one in Hindi and one in Telugu.

One of them became a smash hit in 1950 when performed in English by one of the top recording artists of the era, the great Nat King Cole. Two others became top 15 hits on the Hot 100 when covered by hitmaking female vocal groups, The Chordettes and The Pussycat Dolls.

Here’s a complete list of songs not in the English language that won Oscars for best original song.