Ludwig Göransson, Ryan Coogler, and “Sinners” Dominate 7th Annual SCL Awards
The Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) honored the best in film, television, and interactive media scoring and songwriting at its 7th Annual SCL Awards, held February 6 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, with Ludwig Göransson and Ryan Coogler emerging as the night’s biggest winners. The event, hosted by award-winning actor and musician Kevin Bacon and Emmy-winning composer Michael Bacon (The Bacon Brothers), celebrated exceptional contributions to the art of music in visual media.
Göransson and Coogler Honored for Collaborative Spirit
Two-time Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Grammy-winning composer Ludwig Göransson took home the Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film award for his work on Sinners. Bryce Dessner was recognized with the Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film award for Train Dreams. Göransson’s success didn’t stop there; alongside Raphael Saadiq, he also won Outstanding Original Song for a Drama or Documentary for “I Lied to You,” also from Sinners.
Beyond the awards for specific works, Göransson and director Ryan Coogler received the prestigious 2026 Spirit of Collaboration Award. The SCL recognized their longstanding creative partnership, which has produced a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Sinners. Sinners itself garnered significant recognition, receiving 16 Oscar nominations, including a Best Director nod for Coogler. Göransson recently won a Golden Globe for his Sinners score and has received BAFTA and Academy Award nominations in the same category, as well as an Oscar song nomination for “I Lied to You.”
“KPop Demon Hunters” and Television Scores Also Recognized
EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick secured the SCL Award for Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical for “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters. This win adds to the song’s already impressive accolades, including a Grammy Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics Choice Award, and an Academy Award nomination.
In the television realm, two-time Emmy-winning composer Theodore Shapiro won the SCL Award for Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production for Severance, while Cristóbal Tapia de Veer claimed Outstanding Original Title Sequence for a Television Production for The White Lotus, marking his third SCL Award in this category.
Emerging Talent and a Rocky Anniversary
Austin Wintory was awarded the SCL Award for Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media for Sword of the Sea. The David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent was presented to composer Ching-Shan Chang for her score for Laws of Man.
The SCL also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Rocky with a musical tribute and performance. Academy Award-winning composer Bill Conti, who scored five films in the Rocky franchise and co-composed its iconic theme “Gonna Fly Now” (“Theme from Rocky”), conducted the performance. Melissa Manchester delivered a poignant performance of “I’ll Never Say Goodbye,” her Oscar-nominated song from the 1979 film The Promise, written by David Shire and the late Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, during the In Memoriam segment, honoring the late Alan Bergman who passed away in 2025.
The SCL Awards continue to be a vital platform for recognizing the artistry and impact of composers and lyricists in shaping the emotional landscape of film, television, and beyond.
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