The 98th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, marked a significant year for international cinema, animation, and industry recognition, alongside a notable impact on the music charts. The Norwegian film 'Sentimental Value' proudly secured the Best International Feature Film award, a victory that resonated deeply in Nigeria. Its prior special screening in Abuja made it the first Oscar-nominated and Academy Award-winning film to ever be screened in Nigeria, and it also graced the Kaduna International Film Festival from August 25 to 29, 2026. 'Sentimental Value', a 2 hours and 13 minutes tragic-dramedy, captivated audiences with the story of writer and director Gustav Borg, whose traumatic past created a strained relationship with his two daughters, Nora and Agnes. The film triumphed over formidable international contenders including Brazil's 'The Secret Agent', France's 'It Was Just An Accident', Spain's 'Spirat', and Tunisia's 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'.

In the animation category, 'KPop Demon Hunters' took home the Best Animation Award at the 2026 Oscars. Written by Maggie Kang and directed by Chris Appelhans, this animation delves into Korean contemporary music culture, K-pop, to explore themes of identity and morality. It achieved massive success, becoming the most-watched animated film in Netflix history with over 236 million views, surpassing Ugo Bienvenue's 'Arco' and Disney's 'Zootopia II'. Furthermore, 'KPop Demon Hunters' also earned the Best Original Song award for 'Golden', written by EJae, Mark Sonnenblick, and performed by EJae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami.

A groundbreaking moment at this year's Oscars was the introduction of the Best Casting Award, recognizing the crucial role of casting directors. This inaugural award was presented to Cassandra Kulukundis for her work on 'One Battle After Another'. This film emerged as the night's biggest winner, securing multiple accolades including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Kulukundis' win came against other esteemed casting directors such as Jennifer Venditti for 'Marty Supreme', Francine Maisler for 'Sinners', and Gabriel Domingues for 'The Secret Agent'.

The influence of the Oscar wins extended significantly into the music industry, with victorious works seeing substantial gains in streaming and sales. Ryan Coogler’s film 'Sinners', which clinched four Academy Awards including a third Best Original Score statuette for Ludwig Göransson, saw its compilation soundtrack collect 756,000 official on-demand U.S. streams the day after the Oscars (March 16), marking a 150% jump from the previous week. The song “I Lied to You,” an original song nominee, earned over 154,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, up 240% week-over-week. The Oscars telecast featured live performances, including a star-studded ensemble reimagining 'Sinners' iconic juke joint scene, led by Miles Caton and featuring cast members like Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Buddy Guy, and Jack O’Connell, along with soundtrack contributors Brittany Howard and Alice Smith, and other notable artists.

Similarly, the 'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack experienced a massive surge, receiving 5.1 million streams the day after the Academy Awards. The Billboard 200-topping set also sold over 2,000 U.S. digital downloads in the same timeframe, a 282% sales jump. Its signature hit, “Golden,” which became the first K-pop song to win a Best Original Song Oscar, collected 1.68 million official on-demand U.S. streams and sold over 1,600 digital downloads, a whopping 608% increase in sales. EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna, the singing voices of HUNTR/X, performed “Golden” live at the Dolby Theatre, further amplifying its reach.

Beyond the Oscar buzz, other music trends caught the industry's attention. Tame Impala’s 2025 smash hit “Dracula” received new life through an unexpected remix featuring JENNIE of BLACKPINK. After an initial boost, the remix found renewed virality thanks to a TikTok trend where lip-syncers walk towards the camera to the song’s dark disco strut, with JENNIE herself participating. This led to a significant streaming rebound, with