Diane Warren Breaks Record for Most Oscar Nominations Without a Competitive Win

Diane Warren left the 2026 Academy Awards without a competitive Oscar, but the legendary songwriter remained upbeat, posting on social media, “Well at least I’m consistent! And I set a new record tonite!! But U know me, I will be back if you’ll have me!!!”

The loss marks Warren’s 17th nomination for Best Original Song without a win, establishing her as the most nominated individual in Academy history to have not yet received a competitive Oscar. Warren, who received an honorary Oscar at the 2022 Governors Awards, has remained a constant presence in the category, with her streak of nominations extending from 2016 to the present.

This year, Warren was nominated for “Dear Me,” a ballad she wrote for the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless, performed by Kesha. The song faced heavy competition from the chart-topping Golden from KPop Demon Hunters, widely regarded as the favorite among prognosticators. Despite not winning, Warren’s contribution to the ceremony and her ongoing influence in music underscore her enduring relevance.

In interviews leading up to the Oscars, Warren reflected on her record-breaking string of near misses, noting that while she appreciates recognition, awards have never been her primary measure of success. “It’s not validation,” she told The New York Times. “It would just be fun. And now I just keep beating my own record, I guess. Right now, I’m tied with my friend Greg Russell; we both have lost 16 times. But I’ve never taken awards as validation. The work is validation. When people love the songs, that’s validation.”

Warren acknowledged the honorary Oscar as a meaningful acknowledgment from the Academy, but emphasized her desire for a competitive win. “It’s amazing to have the honorary Oscar, that’s harder to get than the ‘competitive’. I don’t take that for granted. But, yeah, I still want to win. My honorary Oscar gets really lonely. He wants a friend. He hangs out with Rabbit, my cat, but he prefers to have an Oscar buddy,” she said with characteristic humor.

Her prolific career has long set records in the Best Original Song category. Warren has accumulated more nominations than any woman in the category’s history. Should she earn another nomination next year, she will tie for second-most nominations by any songwriter, just behind Johnny Mercer, who received 18 in his lifetime. Only Sammy Cahn, with 26 nominations, currently holds the top spot.

Warren, known for her preference to write songs solo, has also carved out a reputation for the quality and consistency of her work, producing hits that have defined multiple decades of pop and film music. While she continues to chase a competitive Oscar, her 17 nominations reflect both her longevity in the industry and the sustained impact of her songs.

Despite the ongoing streak of near misses, Warren remains undeterred. “I know I’m the underdog, for sure, or undercat. Can I be an undercat? I’m a cat person. They’re fast and they’ve got claws,” she said. Her outlook reflects a career defined not by awards alone, but by a relentless pursuit of songwriting excellence.