One of the guiltier categories at the Academy Awards, the Best Original Song group is often the go-to category for producers and directors of not so great films that want to grab an easy nod. They hire a popular musical artist, get them to make a catchy or moving song, cross their fingers and pray for the call from the Academy. Past nominees have come from “fantastic” works like Fifty Shades of Grey and Trolls. Yippee. Well, the category is back once again, and here we have five songs. Let’s not forget that this is the Academy Awards. We’re going to ignore how successful these tunes are. We’re not easily persuaded like that. We care about how these songs function in the film they come from. Do they serve a great purpose? What story do they tell in context? Are they fitting with the actual film? This year’s nominees actually aren’t too shabby, and the better tracks are even great.

Here are your nominees for Best Original Song, ranked from worst to best.

Biggest Snub: Motherless Brooklyn: “Daily Battles”, Thom Yorke & Flea

Not because we’re Radiohead heads, but “Daily Battles” was a major focal point in the heavily promoted Motherless Brooklyn. If anything, that single song captured the film’s grim isolation better than most of the actual film did. The haunting piano chords are like rain drops smacking against the sidewalk, with Thom Yorke’s inner monologue swirling around your head. Once Flea’s trumpet playing kicks in, you’ve felt like you’ve lost another day to the gluttonous ghosts of the city; they eat all of us alive, kiddo.

5. Toy Story 4: “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away”, Randy Newman

Look. This is a cute little number when Forky keeps trying to throw himself away (aka kill himself to rid himself of being a toy and be one with garbage, but let’s not get too deep). Cute just isn’t enough. The song is super short, it’s a part of a funny montage, and it’s Randy Newman being fun as usual (and sticking with the Toy Story franchise). That’s it. If this wasn’t a Newman song in a Pixar film, it wouldn’t even be here. It’s adorable, but there were frankly better songs this year (especially when utilized in a specific film). Next.

Our review of Toy Story 4

4. Frozen II: “Into the Unknown”, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

We don’t mean to keep harping on these Disney songs. At least “Into the Unknown” is utilized for a much greater purpose in Frozen II, with Elsa pushing herself to go forward with a daring quest to find the mystery voice that beckons her call. In Frozen, she forced herself to let go of inhibitions. Here, she’s mustering the strength to listen to her conscience. It’s a nice development. However, the song is much clunkier than “Let it Go” lyrically, but you can’t get too mad at a killer Idina Menzel vocal performance.

Our review of Frozen II

3. Breakthrough: “I’m Standing With You”, Diane Warren

Diane Warren is kind of the Meryl Streep of the musical categories at the Oscars: often nominated, occasionally warranted. We can safely say that this is one of those better times. Even though “I’m Standing With You” is a little conventionally written, it hits just the right chords that dig into your heart. Even if you aren’t convinced by Breakthrough’s heartstring pulling, the inclusion of “I’m Standing With You” is pretty difficult to not be even remotely shaken by. With lead star Chrissy Metz allowing Warren’s words to give her character a voice during the worst time of her life, chills are guaranteed.

Our review of Breakthrough

2. Rocketman: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”, Elton John, Bernie Taupin

Sneaky, sneaky. Tossing this time capsule ballad at the end of the film is clever. It’s a present-day Elton John (and his songwriting partner in crime Bernie Taupin) reflecting on the entire trip of his life through the Rocketman lens. After so many Elton John songs have been featured in the film (an autobiographical musical journal of sorts), we wrap up with a new tune. It’s not as musically moving as some of the other entries here, but that’s because it aims to groove and keep on moving forward. With a killer bass line and an upbeat tempo, this song about self reflection and forgiveness is not a pity party, but a me-party anthem.

Our review of Rocketman

1. Harriet: “Stand Up”, Joshuah Brian Campbell, Cynthia Erivo

We’re not sure if Harriet needed a song, but we’re sure glad it has one. It’s as if lead star Cynthia Erivo needed something to say directly to Harriet Tubman after playing her on screen. She cowrote this personal memento (along with Joshuah Brian Campbell), and so it made its way into the film. “Stand Up” begins as a chant to push on forward; the chorus begins to take a more straight on gospel-pop approach. Then, that guitar kicks in, and you know “Stand Up” has many tricks up its sleeves. By the end, it’s a complete virtuoso uproar, with Erivo nailing every note with complete passion; the music behind her is just as thunderous. Using themes from the film, and even implementing Tubman’s final words alive “I go to prepare a place for you” (a biblical verse), “Stand Up” is a song that knows its subject through and through. This is one hell of a song. This is hands down our favourite of the pack.

Our review of Harriet

Who we want to win: “Stand Up” would be an amazing win. “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” would be a nice way to end off a fantastic career, though.

Who we think will win: Since “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again snatched the award from “Into the Unknown” at the Golden Globes, this could be Sir Elton’s to boot (especially since Rocketman has been reduced to only one nomination at the Oscars). However, considering Cynthia Erivo may not win Best Actress, this could be the category where she shines. Let’s also not count “Into the Unknown” completely out, since Frozen II did not get a Best Animated Feature nod.

Tune in tomorrow for our next Academy Award category! We’re reviewing every single nominee.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

Best Original Song: Ranking Every Oscar Nominee