“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.
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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
