‘Golden’ Is Still Golden, Wins Best Song at 2026 World Soundtrack Awards (Full Winners List)

“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters is still picking up awards. The global smash, which won a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar last winter, among many other awards, won best original song at the 2026 World Soundtrack Awards, which were held on Saturday (Oct. 10) at the annual WSA Ceremony & Concert during Film Fest Gent, Belgium’s biggest international film festival.

The song, which was written by Kim Eun-jae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park and performed by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna & REI AMI, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.

British composer Daniel Pemberton was named film composer of the year for Project Hail Mary, The Drama, The Bad Guys 2 and Masters of the Universe.

The television composer of the year award was presented to Jeff Russo for Alien: Earth, Cape Fear and Citadel (Season 2).

Hannah Peel took home the award for discovery of the year, while the public choice award went to Kevin Smithers’ score for Soy Frankelda.

For three days, international film and film music professionals gathered in Music Centre De Bijloke in the historic heart of Ghent for talks, workshops and masterclasses about the art of composing film music. The last day concluded with the award ceremony and a live concert with selected music by WSA guest of honour Hildur Guðnadóttir and lifetime achievement award recipient Trevor Jones, performed by Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Dirk Brossé.

Here’s a complete list of winners at the 2026 World Soundtrack Awards. 

Film composer of the year

Alexandre Desplat – Frankenstein; Eagles of the Republic; Jurassic World Rebirth; L’homme qui rétrécit (The Shrinking Man)

Jonny Greenwood – One Battle After Another

Hildur Guðnadóttir – The Bride!; Hedda; 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

WINNER:  Daniel Pemberton – Project Hail Mary; The Drama; The Bad Guys 2; Masters of the Universe

Max Richter – Hamnet

Television composer of the year

 David Fleming – Widow’s Bay

 Finneas O’Connell – Beef (season two)

 Martin Phipps, Benji Merrison – Steal

 Dave Porter – Pluribus

 WINNER: Jeff Russo – Alien: Earth; Cape Fear; Citadel (season two)

Best original song

WINNER: “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters – written by Kim Eun-jae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Teddy Park | performed by Huntrix

“House” from Wuthering Heights – written by Charli xcx, John Cale, Nathan Klein, Finn Keane | performed by Charli xcx, John Cale

“No Place Like Home” from Wicked: For Good – written by Stephen Schwartz | performed by Cynthia Erivo

“Stolen Tale” from Hedda – written by Hildur Guðnadóttir, Nia DaCosta | performed by Mariam Wallentin

“Train Dreams” from Train Dreams – written by Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner | performed by Nick Cave

Best original composition by a young composer

WINNER: Xabier Doural García

 Lidia Pozo Perez

 Yeakun Yoo

Discovery of the year

Mari Fukuhara – Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Paris Hurley – The Chronology of Water

Kangding Ray – SIRÀT

WINNER: Hannah Peel – Midwinter Break

Sam Slater – 2000 Meters to Andriivka

Public choice award

 Avatar: Fire and Ash – Simon Franglen

WINNER: Soy Frankelda – Kevin Smithers

 Project Hail Mary – Daniel Pemberton

 Starbright – Ludek Drizhal

 KPop Demon Hunters – Marcelo Zarvos

Game music award

WINNER: Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss – Nicolas Garcia

Crimson Desert – Hwiman Ryu, Inro Joo, Hyoung Woo Roh, Jiyoon Kim, Dongjune Oh

Dispatch – Andrew Arcadi

Marathon – Ryan Lott

UNBEATABLE – rj lake, Vasily Nikolaev, Rachel Lake, and Clara Maddux (D-CELL SOUND TEAM)

Belgian film composer of the year

WINNER:  Margaret Hermant – A la cara (Nothing Personal); Mallorca Confidencial

 Frederik Van de Moortel – De Pupil

 Frédéric Vercheval – Les Tourmentés

Lifetime achievement award

 RECIPIENT: Trevor Jones