Triumphant 'Golden' Claims Coveted Best Song Award at 2026 World Soundtrack Awards!
The 2026 World Soundtrack Awards, held at Film Fest Gent, honored top talent in film and television music. The global smash "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters won Best Original Song, adding to its impressive list of accolades. Daniel Pemberton and Jeff Russo were named top composers, while the event also celebrated guest of honor Hildur Guðnadóttir and lifetime achievement recipient Trevor Jones.
The 2026 World Soundtrack Awards (WSA) held its annual Ceremony & Concert on Saturday, October 10, during Film Fest Gent, Belgium’s biggest international film festival. The event celebrated outstanding achievements in film and television music, bringing together international professionals for talks, workshops, and masterclasses at Music Centre De Bijloke in the historic heart of Ghent.
The global hit song “Golden” from the film KPop Demon Hunters continued its remarkable awards run, winning Best Original Song at the WSA. This adds to its impressive collection, which already includes a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and an Oscar received last winter. The song, a collaborative effort by writers Kim Eun-jae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park, was performed by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI. It previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.
British composer Daniel Pemberton was honored as Film Composer of the Year for his work on diverse projects including Project Hail Mary, The Drama, The Bad Guys 2, and Masters of the Universe. The Television Composer of the Year award went to Jeff Russo for his scores for Alien: Earth, Cape Fear, and Citadel (Season 2).
Additional accolades were presented across various categories. Hannah Peel was recognized with the Discovery of the Year award, while the Public Choice Award went to Kevin Smithers for his score for Soy Frankelda. Xabier Doural García received the award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer. The Game Music Award was bestowed upon Nicolas Garcia for Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, and Margaret Hermant was named Belgian Film Composer of the Year for A la cara (Nothing Personal) and Mallorca Confidencial.
The ceremony concluded with a live concert featuring selected music by WSA guest of honor Hildur Guðnadóttir and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Trevor Jones, performed by the Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Dirk Brossé. The full list of winners highlights the breadth of talent celebrated at this prestigious event.