AceShowbiz - The Academy has disqualified Robbie Williams' song "Forbidden Road" from the 2025 Oscar shortlist for Best Original Song due to copyright concerns. The Oscars Music Branch made the decision after determining that "Forbidden Road" incorporates material from an existing song that was not written specifically for the film it appears in, "Better Man". The specific song in question is Jim Croce's "I Got a Name".

Members of the Music Branch received a letter explaining the disqualification, stating that the song "does not meet the 97th Awards Rules criteria for eligibility in the Original Song category." According to the Oscars rules, an original song must have both words and music that are original and specifically written for the film.

The Oscars have a strict policy regarding copyright infringement, and this incident marks the second time in recent years that a nominated song has been rescinded due to rule violations. In 2014, the Academy rescinded the nomination of Bruce Broughton's song "Alone Yet Not Alone" after it was determined that he had violated Academy campaign regulations.

"Better Man", which was co-written, produced and directed by Michael Gracey, is a biopic about Robbie Williams' life, featuring a computer-generated monkey portraying Williams. The film's soundtrack primarily comprises new versions of Williams' hits, with "Forbidden Road" being the only new original tune.

Despite its disqualification from the Oscars, "Forbidden Road" remains eligible for a Golden Globe nomination. According to the Golden Globes rules, songs containing material from prior songs may be eligible if the committee determines that the copied portions do not alter the song's overall originality.

The Oscars Music Branch shortlist will now have 14 songs vying for the top five nomination slots instead of 15. Two songs from "Emilia Perez", "El Mal" and "Mi Camino", are among the shortlisted songs, along with others by Pharrell Williams, Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Diane Warren.